You're No Good For Me
by Baby-Firecracker
Summary: What happens when Elena's cousin gets caught up in the drama of Mystic Falls and catches the eye of its resident bad boy vampire? Can she handle it when his identity and past are revealed? 1x03 onwards. Damon/OC
1. First Meeting

Pairing: Damon/OC.  
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries, anyone or anything associated with it or anything else you may recognise.

Summary: What happens when Elena's cousin gets caught up in the drama of Mystic Falls and its resident bad boy vampire? Can she handle his past will fighting her feelings for him? 1x03 onwards. Damon/OC

Let me know what you guys think of the first chapter!

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Chapter One: First Time Meetings

_**I'd trade my soul for a wish, pennies and dimes for a kiss.  
I wasn't looking for this but now you're in my way.  
Your stare was holdin', ripped jeans, skin was showin'.  
Hot night, wind was blowin'.  
Where you think you're going, baby?  
**_

Faith scrunched up her nose in annoyance as she looked in the mirror, twisting a curl around her finger as she tried to get her hair to sit in place. Finally she huffed out a sigh when she realised it was the best it was going to look and instead grabbed her leather jacket off her bed and began making her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs to let her mother know that she was going to head out.

"Mom?"

She frowned when no reply came and she couldn't hear any movement from within the house, curious she wandered into the kitchen and shook her head in disbelief at the single sheet of white paper that lay on the counter. She didn't have to wager a guess what it was but still she picked it up already knowing that it was another note to tell her that her mother was once again out of town with a new boyfriend. At some point she should really move in with Matt and Vicki given that both of their mothers tended to run off on them without so much as a word or even money to pay the bills and get food. You'd think that over the years her mother would become more responsible instead of less. Scrunching the paper into a ball she flung it carelessly into the bin before grabbing her house keys, figuring that she may as well head over to Elena's since she was on her own again.

Walking up to the two story house Faith noticed two people were already standing on Elena's porch, she identified the blonde as Caroline straight away but she had no idea who the dark haired guy was. Mentally shrugging it off she approached the couple just in time for them to ring the doorbell. She glanced down at Caroline's hands and noticed that she was carrying a red velvet cake with her and already she could feel her stomach grumble in anticipation.

"Is that cake?"

Caroline turned around startled and probably would have dropped the cake if the dark haired guy with her hadn't steadied it in her hands. Now that she was closer Faith could see how good looking he was, good cheekbones, amazing clear blue eyes and given the smug grin stretching across Caroline's face she was willing to bet that this guy was her new boyfriend. The one she had been constantly dropping into conversation just in case Faith happened to forget about her 'sexy, older, bad boy' boyfriend. From the way the blonde girl had gone on she'd of thought she would have mentioned his name at some point in any of the conversations.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

She shrugged and reached past them to ring the doorbell again when no one came to greet them, "My mom's gone again so Lena needs to feed me til she gets back or possibly forever."

Caroline frowned in concern as she looked the dark haired girl over, "For how long?"

"Don't know, who's this?" Faith asked in the hopes of changing the subject and reminding her friend that she still hadn't introduced them.

"This is Damon, my boyfriend."

Faith smiled at the happy smile on her friends face before facing Damon and offering him a hand to shake, "I'm Faith."

Instead of shaking her hand he lifted it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the top of it and lingered more than she considered necessary for a gentlemanly greeting. Before he could release her hand the door to Elena's house opened to reveal said brunette frowning at them all, no doubt wondering what they all were doing there.

"Uh, hi?"

Faith giggled at the dumbfounded look on her face and gently tugged her hand from Damon's and squeezed herself in-between the couple so she could get into the house.

"I'm interrupting but mom's gone and I am starving so feed me."

Caroline held her cake up to gain their attention before stating, "Bonnie said you guys were doing dinner so we brought dessert. I didn't invite Faith though."

Faith rolled her eyes as she grabbed the cake off the other girl, "Thanks, Care. I feel the love."

Damon smiled at all of them as Caroline barged her way into the house, "Hope you don't mind."

Before anyone could answer him Stefan appeared from the kitchen and approached the door, using his bulk to block the doorway as if he refused to let the other man in. Elena shot Faith and Caroline a confused frown at her boyfriend's weird behaviour.

"What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Elena to invite me in."

Elena shook her head quickly having forgotten her manners, "Oh, you can just –"

Stefan sharply cut her off before she could finish the sentence and stammered his way through an explanation, "No, he can't stay can you, Damon?"

"It's fine, just come on in."

Faith frowned at the weird tension that had fell over the group and instead chose to gesture Damon forward so she could close the door behind him. He graced her with a small smile as he passed her before gazing around the house.

"You have a beautiful home, Elena."

"Oh, thank you." Elena said surprised that he would bother to comment on it at all in comparison to his home.

"Okay." Faith drawled before holding up the cake once again, "Anyone for cake?"

"Ugh, I cannot afford to put on another pound." Caroline refused and held her non-existent stomach fat.

Faith scoffed as she made her way into the kitchen, "Yes because you're huge and hideous. Why did you bring cake if you're not going to eat it?"

"It's Damon's favourite."

Damon smiled and slid past Caroline to stand beside the smaller girl, "It's true. I'm a sucker for red velvet."

"You want some?"

The dark haired man quirked a brow at her question and she flushed slightly as she realised how suggestive she'd made it sound. Awkwardly clearing her throat she turned to the drawners and shot Bonnie a small smile as she dug through the middle drawer for the cake knife. She quickly slid a piece onto the dessert plate and passed it Damon who took it with a smirk before he walked away. Elena approached her cousin and suppressed her laughter at the flustered look on her face. It was amusing to see Faith in such a state over a simple interaction with a guy; usually she was much more confident around them.

Faith frowned at her and shoved a plate of cake into her hands roughly, "Shut up and eat your cake."

"I love you." Elena sing-songed as she walked away to join Stefan and Bonnie.

"Well, I hate you."

An hour later the group had migrated to the living room despite Faith's insistence that she was heading home. She'd been fed and saw no reason to stay and hang out with the group. Caroline was clearly here for Damon and so had spent the majority of the night fawning over him in a way that made Faith almost ashamed to be her best friend and Bonnie was here to bond with Stefan. Faith did not need to bond with Stefan, she liked him just fine and it wasn't like she was the one wanting to date the guy. Nevertheless she found herself sat beside Elena on the couch, watching the Salvatore brothers shoot each other annoyed looks when they thought no one else was looking.

"I cannot believe that Mr Tanner let you on the team. Tyler must be seething but good for you, go for it."

Damon nodded in agreement, "That's what I was telling him, you have to engage you can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you, you have to go get it."

Faith snorted into her glass before asking, "Where did you get that, a self-help book?"

"They are a multi-million business so they must be doing something right."

"Yes for certain types of losers with no lives." She mumbled unaware that Damon heard what she said and was withholding a grin.

Caroline continued on unfazed by their exchange, "Elena wasn't so lucky today, I don't know how you're ever going to learn the routines."

"Gah, cheerleader talk – I'm out. Care, try to be tactful."

That said Faith picked up the empty glasses from the table and made her way back to the kitchen to clean it up before she made her second escape attempt. She was loading the dishwasher before she got the sensation someone was watching her. Straightening up she turned and gasped when she realised Damon was standing right behind her. Before she realised what she was doing she slapped him on the shoulder and tried to shove him away from her, frowning when he barely budged an inch.

"Oh, my god, wear a bell or something."

He smirked and held up his empty glass as explanation, "Sorry, you missed one."

Elena coughed from the doorway to announce her presence when she took in the close proximity of Damon and her cousin. She hadn't been blind to the looks he had been slyly giving her and her cousin all night despite the fact that he was meant to be dating Caroline.

"You forgot, like four glasses actually."

Faith shrugged unconcerned at her inability to clean and awkwardly tried to move away from the dishwasher to let Elena in but Damon was unrelenting and she ended up brushing up against him in her effort to move. His eyes still on hers he blindly reached around her to hand the glass to Elena who's fingers failed to find purchase on the glass and it slipped from her fingers. Luckily Damon managed to grab it before it smashed on the floor and passed it back to the taller brunette with a smile.

"Nice save." Elena commented impressed with how quickly he'd caught it when he hadn't even been looking in her direction.

"Yeah, Elena has butterfinger syndrome, _really_ bad."

Elena laughed before mock shoving her cousin into the kitchen island, "Shut up."

Damon chuckled as he watched them before remarking, "I like you two, you know how to laugh and Elena; Stefan seems a lot happier since he met you which is something I haven't seen in a very long time."

Elena's smile faded at his comment, "Earlier, did you mean Katherine?"

Faith glanced between them confused about what they were talking about before realising it was probably something that was said when she had left the room and began tidying up. Damon hummed in agreement as he helped the two girls load the rest of the dishes.

"How did she die?"

"A fire, tragic fire."

Elena frowned concerned about the type of issues she could be involving herself with, "Recently?"

"Seems like it was yesterday."

"What was she like?"

"She was beautiful, a lot like you in that department…both of you actually." He shot Faith another smile before turning back to Elena, "She was also very complicated, selfish and at times not very kind but very sexy and seductive."

Elena handed him another plate unimpressed by his description of his brother's ex-girlfriend, "So which one of you dated her first?"

"Nicely deduced, ask Stefan, I'm sure his answer differs from mine."

She scoffed at the accusation in his tone, turning quickly and handing the table clothes she had been fiddling with earlier to her cousin before stomping out of the room and upstairs to what Faith assumed was the bathroom. Damon let out a low whistle and approached her as he watched her cousin storm off.

"Something I said?"

Faith glanced at him uneasily as he took a seat beside her and answered vaguely, "Elena's fiercely protective of those she cares about."

"I didn't mean to cause offence." He assured her and he sounded genuine about it so she didn't argue the point.

"She'll get over it, don't worry."

He nodded and tugged one of napkins out of her hands and began to fold it, "So I'm guessing from your earlier reaction you're not a cheerleader."

She laughed and shook her head, "Uh, no. I used to be but when – well basically I quit. Lena and Caroline have been trying to get me back into it for years with various compelling arguments but things like that haven't mattered for a while."

"So forget it, tell them where to go."

"Elena maybe but have you met your girlfriend?"

He grinned at her and they went back to silently folding things for a few moments. Faith tried to subtly look at him without him noticing because she guessed that he did not need to be given an ego boost; however her face softened at the far off look on his face. He'd had the same sort of look the entire time he had been talking to Elena about Katherine.

"I'm sorry." She paused as he looked back at her in confusion and clarified, "About Katherine? You lost her too."

She watched his jaw slacken in surprise and the way his lips parted as if he wanted to reply but couldn't find the words to do so and instead he locked eyes with her for several more moments before Elena entered the room again this time with Bonnie in tow mumbling an apology and asking if they needed anymore help. Faith sneaked a look at Damon again as he grinned at Bonnie and studied the profile of his face, he played the hot bad boy card very well but there was something more attractive about the open vulnerability on his face when she had given her condolences over Katherine. She blinked in surprise as Damon turned his head and caught her eyes for a brief moment before he stood and left the kitchen without a word.

"I saw that."

Faith gave a look of confusion over her shoulder at her cousin, "Saw what?"

She shook her head and pointed sternly at the petite girl, "Your and Damon's little eye exchange, don't go there."

"He's Caroline's boyfriend, Elena! What kind of person do you think I am?" She snapped as she stood and made to move away from her.

Elena quickly reached out and grabbed her forearm to stop her, "I'm sorry. I know you would never do that, I just don't like the way he was looking at you."

"He can look at me however he likes; I don't go after romantically involved guys."

"I know, I'm sorry." She promised and gave her puppy dog eyes until Faith caved and punched her lightly on the shoulder as a sign of her forgiveness.

"Okay, but I am now officially going home, say goodbye to everyone for me?" Faith asked already tugging her jacket off the back of the stool and pulling it on.

Elena nodded in agreement and Bonnie gave her a little wave as she made her way out the back door, fully intending on hopping over the fence and into her back garden. She'd always found it more than strange when she was younger that her mother had chosen to buy the house right next to her brother's, although now she was grateful to be so close to family with her mother almost always out of town. Jenna made sure that she was well looked after it, particularly when her mother forgot to leave any money behind.

With a sleepy sigh she made her way into the house, making sure to lock the door behind her before she trudged up the stairs to her bedroom. She quickly stripped off her clothes and pulled on her pyjamas deciding to forgo her shower until the morning. She crawled under her covers before the coldness of the room hit her bare legs and with a contented groan she snuggled in and hugged her pillow, falling asleep within seconds.

* * *

With a frustrated grunt she kicked off her covers as the room temperature had risen during the night and she found herself struggling to get back to sleep. She shrieked as something knocked against her window and when she looked over she found herself disbelieving to find Damon perched on the tree outside her window.

"Damon?" She asked incredulous and made her over to her window and opened it, "What the hell are you doing?"

He grinned at her and gripped the window frame tightly, "You gonna invite me in before I fall to my death?"

"Would serve you right but yeah, come in." She muttered and moved out of his way, shutting the window firmly behind him to keep out the wind. "I have a front door you know?"

He shook his head and walked slowly towards her, "I couldn't wait to see you."

"Um, why?" She asked warily as he stalked towards her.

"Because of this."

She barely had a moment to breathe properly before he was on her, his lips slanting over her own without a second thought as his hand tangled in her hair to prevent her from moving away from him. Without even thinking about what she was doing and with whom she opened her mouth to him, her teeth biting down on his bottom lip in her haste to get closer to him. With a growl he griped her thighs and hiked her up so her legs wrapped around his waist and he walked them over to her bed before he dropped her gently. He wasted no time in lying on top of her, fitting himself between her thighs as one of his hands held her wrists above her head while the other slipped under her thin tank top to grip her bare waist. She gasped as his lips pressed softly against her throat, his blunt teeth lightly scraping over her pulse point.

She panted harshly and squirmed beneath him, "We can't do this, what about Caroline?"

"Who cares? I know what you want, what you need."

She moaned as his breath fanned across her neck before a sharp pain shot through it, she shrieked and tried to escape from beneath him but he held her firmly in place until her body went limp.

With a strangled scream Faith shot up in bed, sweating and shaking as her eyes frantically checked around her room for any sign of the dark haired man. With a relived sigh she pushed back her sweat soaked hair realising that it had just been a dream. It had been disturbingly vivid however and so she ran a hand over her neck to make sure there was nothing there. Despite how horrifying the ending of the dream had been she found herself embarrassingly aroused by the first half of it. She didn't know whether to be more ashamed of the fact she had a sex dream about her best friend's boyfriend or that she was still horny even though he'd bitten her like a vampire. All she knew was that she had never been so turned on in her life and she was in no position to act on those feelings if she wanted to or not.

"Ugh, I am such a freak."

_**Hey, I just met you and this is crazy.  
But here's my number, so call me, maybe?  
And all the other boys try to chase me.  
But here's my number, so call me, maybe?**_


	2. Homecoming

Thank you for the reviews and to all of you that story alerted this. I was going to wait until later to post this chapter but I figured I'd do it earlier.

Hope you guys enjoy it.

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Chapter Two: Homecoming

_**Where have you been?  
Cause I never see you out.  
Are you hiding from me, yeah?  
Somewhere in the crowd.  
**_

Faith let Caroline link their arms as they made their way through the crowd of people that had gathered around the high school waiting on the football game to start. She mumbled an apology to someone when she bumped into them due to the blonde's poor navigation skills. She didn't know how someone as coordinated in cheerleading as Caroline failed at day to day walking. She rolled her eyes as the other girl immediately picked up her earlier rant about Faith's refusal to rejoin the cheerleading squad. Once a upon a time she would have been thrilled to get involved again but the mere thought of jumping up and down screaming 'Go, Team, Go' made her want to upchuck all over her shoes. Her heart wasn't in it anymore and she saw no point in forcing herself to do something she no longer loved, Caroline however did not feel the same way.

"I just don't understand why you won't rejoin the team and don't say you're unfit because you run like every morning."

"How is running even remotely similar to cheerleading?"

"You still do gymnastics, do not tell me that is not similar to cheerleading!" Caroline argued annoyed that she wasn't getting her own way.

Faith scoffed and countered with, "In gym! I'm not doing it in my free time. Leave it alone, Care."

"Fine but you're still helping me choreograph routines."

"Okay." She relented happy to have found some comprise with the other girl that would get her to stop bringing it up every other day.

"Speaking of cheerleaders, where is your cousin?"

Faith glanced around before spying Elena and Stefan talking a little bit away from them, she pointed them out to Caroline and immediately she began pulling them in the direction of the couple, no doubt furious that Elena wasn't in uniform. What Faith had failed to inform her was that Elena was quitting cheerleading; she only hoped that this didn't renew the blonde's intense desire to have Faith rejoin the team. Stepping up behind Elena she knew the brunette was more than surprised to find them standing directly behind her so Faith gave her what she hoped was an encouraging look.

"Why are you not in uniform?"

Elena visibly squirmed uncomfortable at the look on the other girl's face, "I decided to quit?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Telling you?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at her unease, "Elena! Why are you Gilbert girls trying to screw me over?"

"Hey! I quit a year ago, so if anyone is screwing you over tonight then it's Elena."

Elena scoffed at her cousin, "Thanks for throwing me under the bus."

"Oh, anytime. Well I'll leave you to it; I'm gonna find myself a decent drink before it gets dark."

Without another word she left the two girls to battle it out, she had no desire to get involved in that particular argument any longer than she had to. With a quick glance around she decided to make a beeline for Tyler and Matt knowing that they were more than likely stashing some form of alcohol for after the game somewhere. How ironic was it that she used to be a cheerleader and yet she couldn't stand football games. She smiled widely as Matt picked her up and spun her around before setting her back on the ground in time for Tyler to press a sloppily kiss to her cheek making her groan in disgust and wipe away the spit he had left behind.

"Dude, I don't know where your mouth has been."

He smiled down at her and discreetly handed her a red cup filled with beer from the table beside him, "Be nice to me, I'm supplying your alcohol."

She nodded in agreement and took a sip from the cup, "This is very true. Have I told you how handsome you are lately?"

"Okay, now I know you're just using me for my booze connections."

"You know me so well." She turned to Matt and patted him on the shoulder, "You ready for your big game, QB?"

"It's homecoming Faith, not the playoffs."

"I'm being supportive; you know I hate this crap."

Matt let out a chuckle at the disgust on her face as she glanced around the field, "Yeah, I know. You're awesome."

"And don't you forget it."

It wasn't long before the sun went down and everybody started to get riled up for the game. Matt and Tyler had long since ditched her to get themselves pumped up for the game, their words not hers and Faith was left contemplating stealing Jeremy's booze to get through the night. She was doing him a favor really, he deserved to get it took off him; he was waving the thing around as he served it to all his friends just begging to get busted for underage drinking. At least she tried to be subtle with her drinking, hiding it in the red plastic cups the school gave out and she kept herself out of sight so no one would catch her out.

She spotted Damon weaving through the crowd of people looking like he'd rather be anywhere than there. She didn't picture him as being a big football fan and even if he was she didn't think he'd want to spend it surrounded by a bunch of teenagers. Then again he was dating Caroline so clearly he got along well with younger people. She wondered how old he actually was, he didn't look that much older than them so she figured twenty two or twenty three, something close to that anyway. She'd be shocked if he was a lot older than that. She was surprised as he abruptly changed directions and began to head her way, she didn't think anybody could see her as she was pretty well hidden away as always preferring to hide away until the game started.

Nevertheless she gave him a smile when he grew closer to her, "Hey, didn't figure you for a football fan."

"Who do you think taught Stefan to play?" He queried stealing her cup and taking a gulp, his brows rising in surprise as he tasted alcohol, "Underage drinking? I'm shocked."

She laughed at his deadpan face and stole back her drink, "Why? I'm not always a good girl."

"Oh, I have no doubt you can be very bad." He purred his eyes dropping to her lips as he took a step closer to her.

She flushed realizing that she was flirting with him a little bit but she couldn't help remembering her dream last night when he was standing so close to her even his cologne smelled exactly the same, almost as if it had actually happened.

She composed herself and took a small step back from him to remove temptation and reminded him, "With you being Caroline's boyfriend and all, you'll never find out."

His hand reached out to grasp her chin forcing her to look into his eyes which were contracting strangely as he gazed down at her and she found it impossible to look away from him.

"What if I wasn't Caroline's boyfriend, would you kiss me?"

She told herself she was not answering that question but her mouth opened to speak seemingly without her permission, "Yes."

"Do you want to kiss me right now?"

"Yes."

His other hand smoothed its way down her arm before grasping her hip and pulling her closer to him, "Do it then."

She found herself leaning in closer to him her lips brushing against his softly as she pushed up onto her tip toes, her free hand digging into the soft leather of his jacket to keep herself steady. His breath was cool across her face and she sighed a little at the sensation before she closed her eyes and prepared to press her lips against his. She didn't get the chance however as someone bumped hard into her shoulder causing her to stumble back and break her connection with Damon. She blinked dazed as she tried to gather her bearings and when she eventually looked up Damon was no longer standing in front of her. Horrified she glanced around to make sure no one witnessed her about to kiss another girl's boyfriend, Caroline would be devastated if that ever happened and she was furious at herself for even entertaining the notion of kissing him never mind about to actually do it. She didn't even know what had happened, sure she found Damon attractive she had two functioning eyes and the man was walking sin but she would never act on it when he was with her friend. One thing that Faith liked about herself was that she was loyal and to betray someone's trust like that wasn't something she ever thought she would do. She silently vowed to stay away from him in case she was unable to control herself or at the very least she was laying off the alcohol while she was near him. Talk about lowering impulse control, god she had enough trouble with that as it was there was no need to make it worse.

A little while later Faith had wandered around before sitting with Jeremy and his friends to listen to Mr. Tanner's football speech which was basically just an ode to Stefan and all his glorious talent. She could tell that was going to ruffle more than a few feathers throughout the team. She knew she was right when Tyler came storming out from the crowd and it wasn't long before his eyes landed on Jeremy and from the look on his face she knew there was going to be trouble. Hopping up she prepared herself to jump in between them to prevent any fighting, Tyler was much bigger than her cousin so she knew it wouldn't end in Jeremy's favor.

Tyler reached them quickly and wasted no time in riling Jeremy up as he nodded his head at Vicki behind him, "Don't worry you can have her when I'm done."

Before anything else could be said Jeremy punched him in the face and she had to admit it was a good swing but that was as long as his luck ran. Tyler quickly tackled him to the ground and Faith decided it was time to intervene, however as soon as her hand grasped Tyler's arm he lashed out catching her with a backhand that immediately spilt open her lip.

Jeremy pushed the older boy off him and landed a solid punch to his ribs as he snapped, "What you're hitting girls now?"

Faith had never been so happy to see Stefan since she'd met him as he jogged towards the group, quickly reaching down to grab Tyler, forcing him to stop hitting Jeremy. The footballer barely paused before he took a swing at Stefan which seemed to have no effect on the other boy whatsoever. She spotted Jeremy picking up the top of his discarded broken bottle and knew what he intended to do.

"Jeremy do not be an idiot!"

Luckily he missed hitting Tyler with it but instead caught Stefan across the hand with it; Faith grimaced because it looked pretty deep from where she stood. She shared a look with Elena who had come running up when she saw the commotion, she looked towards Stefan while she silently gestured to Jeremy to let her know she would check up on him.

"You're bleeding everywhere." She stated poking at his red tender face.

He flinched away from her, slapping her hand away as he snapped, "Leave it alone, Faith."

She frowned as he started walking away from her, "Hey, get your ass back here."

"Just stop."

With a huff she turned back to check on Stefan and gaped upon realizing that he had no wound to speak of. She was sure that she had seen the bottle slice right through his skin and apparently Elena thought the same.

"But I saw –"

Stefan quickly wiped his hand onto his jeans to get rid of the blood, "He missed, it's not my blood."

Faith shook her head and grabbed at his hand to check for herself, "That totally should have sliced you, tell the truth Stefan, are you Superman?"

Elena pursed her lips in annoyance and grabbed back her boyfriend's hand, "Very funny. Are you sure you're okay, Stefan?"

"I'm okay. Look it's almost kick off time so I'll see you both after the game."

"I swear I saw the glass cut right through his hand."

"So did I but he's not actually Superman, Elena. He can't deflect attacks without any wounds."

Elena nodded before gazing off in the distance, "I need to ask Bonnie something, are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to go see Care and then clean up my lip."

* * *

Caroline gasped as soon as she got a good look of the dark haired girl, "Oh, god your face, it's horrible."

"Have I ever mentioned how much you do for my self-esteem?"

The other girl winced and plastered on a much more sympathetic look, "Sorry, I have a first aid kit in my car if you want to go get it?"

Faith smiled at her or tried to she failed half way through when her lip began to throb, "See, much more helpful, thank you."

After collecting the keys from Caroline she went on the hunt for the cheerleader's car however it was nowhere near where she said she had parked it. Exasperated she pressed the unlock button on the keys and listened carefully for the beep. Fortunately it was only at the other side of the parking lot and she could clearly see the lights flash from where she stood. Reaching the car she opened the boot and rummaged around until she found the small first aid box hiding in a bag.

"Need some help?"

She whirled around in shock to find Damon standing behind her, his head cocked to the side and a frown marring his face.

"Didn't we talk about a bell?"

His usual smirk slid onto his face as he tugged the box out of her hands gesturing for her sit on the edge of the boot, "I'll get right on that, I promise."

She reluctantly sat down when he refused to let her take back the first aid box, "It's just a spilt lip, it just needs a little cleaning so I don't really need your help Dr. Salvatore."

"Hmm but I like to help."

"I'm sure."

She watched morbidly as he swiped his thumb across her cut and sucked the blood off the tip of his finger. She didn't have a chance to process what she just witnessed before he pressed the antiseptic wipe roughly against the cut causing her to hiss in pain and grip his wrist to pull it away.

"Anyone ever tell you that you've got the magic touch?"

He grimaced slightly before pressing the wipe back to her lip in a gentler manner remaining silent as he did so fully focused on wiping away the blood from her lip and chin before he threw away the wipe and placed the box back into the boot of the car.

"All better. What happened anyway?"

She ducked her head embarrassed as she mumbled, "I got in the middle of my cousin Jeremy's fight and Tyler managed to backhand me."

"What a douche."

She laughed as she lifted her head back up glad that he hadn't tried to tell her what an idiot she was for getting in between a fight. She was well aware it wasn't a good idea but she wasn't one to sit idly by while someone she loved got hurt.

He grinned back at her, his fingers wrapping around some of her hair as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, "Sweet dreams."

He then left her sitting shell shocked as he walked away, a disbelieving laugh escaping her lips due to the knowing tone of his voice when he said that. Her eyes widened unable to believe that maybe he knew she dreamt of him. That was completely insane though, it was would be impossible for anyone other than her to know about that. She had to calm herself down she was heading for heart palpations if she kept this kind of paranoia going.

* * *

Faith stood with her arms tightly holding herself as she blankly stared at the scene before her. She didn't know how she was supposed to process this, she'd found the body not long after Matt had and he had to hold her hand for fifteen minutes before she could get herself to function properly. It wasn't the first time she had seen a dead body but it was the first time she'd seen one with its neck torn out. She wasn't exactly Mr. Tanner's biggest fan but she wouldn't wish that kind of death on anybody. She watched the EMT's roll his body away and her eyes caught sight of Bonnie as she did so. She made her way over to the other girl quickly when she looked like she was having a panic attack, her eyes were glassy and her breath was coming out in short spurts.

"Bonnie, are you okay?"

"Faith?" She asked confused before griping the other girls arms as she let out a sob, "The numbers that I've been seeing, they were Tanner's death."

"What? You're not making any sense, okay? You need to sit down and take a breath."

She shook her head frantically and pointed out the three numbers and even Faith was having a hard time shrugging this off as a coincidence. There was no possible way that Bonnie was being warned about Mr. Tanner's death all day. However it didn't matter right now because Bonnie was seriously flipping out and people were going to ask questions if she kept it up. She griped the other girls hand and quickly pulled her away. She had a feeling that this was not going to be their last crime scene like this.

_**You can have all you want.  
Any way, any day.  
To show me where you are tonight.**_


	3. Break Ups and Set Ups

Thank you so much to those of you that reviewed it means a lot. Also shocked at how many of you guys story alerted this the past few days. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Three: Break-Ups and Set-Ups

_**I stare at my reflection in the mirror: "Why am I doing this to myself?"  
Losing my mind on a tiny error.  
I nearly left the real me on the shelf.**_

Faith stood nervously outside of Caroline's front door debating with herself on whether to enter or not. The other girl had phoned her last night gushing about the Founder's party and how she had super important news to tell her. Faith felt like she had to come clean about her near kiss with Damon, although she still didn't understand how it had happened in the first place. She felt like she hadn't any control of her body when he had told her to kiss him but that wasn't an excuse because it was a horrible thing to think of doing in the first place and Faith was not above begging her best friend for forgiveness. Taking a deep breath she let herself into the house and made her way to Caroline's room and laughed as she caught her twirling around in a baby blue dress teamed with a little white cardigan and scarf. The blonde squealed happily when she noticed her and bounced over to gather her in a hug before she tugged her to sit on the bed.

"I have big news!"

Faith gulped and tightened her grip on Caroline's hands, "Me too. Look, Care you know I would never do anything to hurt you and I swear I don't know what happened –"

Caroline interrupted her with a soft smile and squeezed her hands, "I know, Faith. Damon told me."

"W-what?"

"He said you guys almost kissed at the homecoming game and it's okay. You should totally go for it."

Faith's brow furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand, you're not mad? Also go for what? You're dating the guy."

Caroline shrugged her delicate shoulders and jumped off the bed to make her way back over to her closet, "We decided we were better off as friends and as both of your friends I think you two should date. You have my full blessing."

"Are you okay?" She questioned concerned about the other girl and her easy acceptance of the situation after all Caroline was the girl that threw a fit when Missy Danvers gave her a friendship bracelet in first grade instead of Caroline.

"Of course I am. Now you can borrow a dress for the party because everything you own is dark gloomy colours and you are far too pretty to rock that look every day." She threw the brunette a bright red dress from the confines of her closet, "Put it on."

Still in a state of confusion Faith decided to just do what the other girl said, perhaps Caroline really was upset and she just wanted to boss her around for the day as punishment. It wouldn't be the first time she'd done that to her. Faith had just stripped down to her underwear when someone opened the door without knocking. Assuming it was Caroline's mom she turned to greet her a smile on her lips which immediately turned into open mouthed shock as Damon sauntered into the room as if he belonged there. His eyes skimmed her body pausing on her hips and chest longer than everywhere else reminding her that she was half naked in front of her best friend's non-boyfriend who she'd almost kissed.

"Damon!" She shrieked in embarrassment as she snatched up the red dress from the bed to hold in front of her body to shield herself from his view.

Caroline giggled from behind her causing her to shot an incredulous look at her best friend. She had no idea what the hell was going on with Caroline or why she was suddenly trying to set her up with Damon but that did not give either of them the right to have her parade half naked around the guy. Caroline seemed to notice her friend's annoyance and held up a bathrobe to hide her while she slipped into the one shouldered red dress.

Clutching it tightly to her chest she asked the other girl, "Can you do me up?"

"Damon can do it."

"What?" she hissed out which grew when he immediately moved to comply with Caroline's statement.

She grew rigid when he stepped up behind her, he'd yet to actually say anything since entering the room and it was more than a little unsettling as she didn't think she'd ever seen him silent the entire time she'd known him. She fought the shiver that ran along her spine when his finger trailed along her skin as he pulled up her zipper. She turned to thank him and the words got caught in her throat at the intensity of his gaze. His hand lifted and tugged her hair out from under the dress where it was trapped causing the loose curls to tumble down her back.

"Red suits you."

She stuttered for a few moments before thanking him and then rolled her eyes heavenwards when Caroline let out a huge 'aww' from behind them. She turned to look at her over her shoulder and let a sneer take over her face to which the blonde girl smiled sweetly in reply to.

"Damon's here to escort us to the ball."

She looked between the two of them in confusion, "Both of us?"

Damon twisted a finger around one of her curls and tugged it gently to get her attention, "I'm enough of a stud to have two girls on my arm."

She hummed and smiled sarcastically, "A stud isn't what I would call it."

She went to move back when she stumbled into Caroline who'd come up behind her and thrust a pair of black pumps in her face. She grew a little worried when the two of them grinned at each other like they were sharing a secret and so with a wary sigh took the shoes from Caroline's grasp.

The blonde beamed in response and clapped her hands, "Let's get this party on the road."

* * *

Faith huffed out an impatient breath as they waited in the ridiculously long line to enter the Lockwood Mansion. Never in her life had she understood the need to stand in a line to enter a party that was held in someone's home. Involuntary her fingers squeezed Damon's forearm, her arm tucked into the crook of his elbow much like Caroline's was on the other side. He looked over at her in response and was more than amused when she scrunched her face up in disgust at the people around her.

"Not a fan of these kinds of things?"

She startled seemingly forgotten he was there despite being pressed against her side, "Um, no. Personally I don't like rich people flaunting how rich they are."

"I'm with you on that one."

"So why are you here?"

He smirked down at her and stage whispered, "Because Caroline told me you were coming."

She didn't know how to respond to that and luckily didn't have to because they had finally made their way to the front door where Mrs Lockwood beamed at them as she came over and pressed a kiss to both her and Caroline's cheeks.

"Caroline, Faith you both look smashing."

Faith grinned back at the older woman and went to walk inside before being tugged back beside Damon who hadn't moved from his position just outside the door. She was being to think he had this weird need to be invited into someone's home before he would actually step foot in it.

Caroline gestured to them as she introduced him, "This is Damon…Faith's date."

Faith flushed in response, "He's not my –"

The older women didn't let her finish before she was inviting them inside, "Oh, lovely. Come on in, Damon."

He stepped forward guiding her in gently with him, "Nice to meet you, I've been looking forward to this party for quite some time." He then turned to the two girls and smiled, "Drinks?"

Without waiting for a response he made his way over to the bar and immediately Faith rounded on her friend suddenly furious with the way she'd been acting for the past two hours.

"What the hell, Caroline? He's not my date! You were dating the guy not two minutes ago."

Caroline's forehead scrunched up in confusion as she looked at her, "What's wrong? I think you guys would be so cute together."

"Who are you? You do not give up guys as hot as Damon without a fight and now you're basically throwing him at me? You're not even pissed that we almost kissed?"

"You're a good friend, Faith, my best friend and I know you would never do anything to intentionally hurt me so why would I be mad?"

Faith threw her hands out in frustration and stomped away from the blonde with the full intention of finding herself something stronger to drink than what she was sure was soda in Damon's hands. She ignored his curious eyes as she passed him and headed straight for her Aunt Jenna and the waiter with the tray of wine glasses. Her hand had just plucked the wine glass off of the tray when it was snatched away from her. She moaned in disappointment as her Aunt took a long sip of the drink with a pointed look in her direction.

"Aunt Jenna, c'mon."

"No way, maybe if we weren't here but we are and I do not need these people thinking I'm a bad guardian."

Faith smiled sweetly at her in the hopes of changing her mind, "Legally you are not my guardian but if you were you'd be the best one, so responsible and did I mention beautiful?"

Jenna snorted and took another sip of the wine before commenting, "Do I look like a horny teenage boy to you? Those tricks won't work on me, I taught you those tricks."

She scowled in response dropping all pretence of sweetness and smirked at the approaching figure, "Oh, look it's your boyfriend."

Jenna's eyes widened in surprise as Logan Fell made his way towards them and Faith took full advantage of her surprise by snagging another glass from the waiter still loitering around them and made her escape before her Aunt could notice. She quickly took a sip of the alcohol and gagged slightly at the sweet taste, she was more a tangy person herself. More than annoyed she chucked the drink into a nearby plant before handing off the empty glass to the man to her left uncaring if he was serving staff or not. She spotted Elena and Caroline at the other end of the room talking to both of the Salvatore boys and debated whether she should approach or not but after a quick sweep of the room she decided it was probably the only thing that would cure her boredom. She was evidently wrong as the closer she approached the group the more she heard of their conversation and it sounded really boring. They were apparently discussing the first Founder's ball, as if the one they were attending right now wasn't hellish enough.

She cut into the conversation aware that she was stopping Stefan mid-sentence, "That sounds really _really_ lame."

Elena gaped and shot Stefan an apologetic look before frowning at her cousin, "Faith, don't be rude."

"Sorry." She apologised realising that she was probably making Stefan feel out of the group, "Can I go? I hate these things."

Caroline snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her into her side, "No, I'll miss you besides it'll be fun."

"You know what is fun? Tequila."

Caroline grinned at the other girl silently agreeing before turning to Stefan, "I'm bored too and I wanna dance, so what do you say?"

"Uh –"He looked to Elena for an answer not wanting to upset either girl with his answer.

Elena nodded softly but cast a wary look Caroline's way, "Go. I promised to meet Bonnie anyway."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek and sent a silent look to Faith as she passed her letting her know she was on Stefan/Caroline watch for any misbehaving but really she didn't think Elena had anything to worry about. Caroline may be a little dim at times but she had a good heart, she wouldn't hurt her like that and Stefan seemed far too wrapped up in her cousin to even consider looking at another girl never mind actually pursuing one.

Faith actively tried to ignore Damon's eyes as she fiddled with some of the trinkets on the table beside her but she could feel the heat of his stare and eventually snapped, "What, Damon?"

He pursed his lips and cocked his head to the side in confusion, "Did I do something to offend you because if I did I apologise it wasn't my intention."

"Of course it was! Otherwise you wouldn't have tried to kiss me at homecoming when you know I'm Caroline's friend and now you're-"She cut herself off unsure of where she was heading with her rant.

"I'm what?" He smiled and laced his fingers through hers and began pulling her towards the dance floor, "Asking a pretty girl to dance?"

She rolled her eyes in annoyance and then tensed as his arms wrapped securely around her waist, her arms fluttering nervously at her sides before she settled them around his neck.

"So what's the plan here? Make your way around the group, Caroline, Elena, Me? Bonnie should be here sometime soon too if you want to give her a whirl."

"Elena?"

"I'm not blind, Damon, I see the way you look at her."

He shook his head as his hand rubbed from her waist to mid back to tangle in the ends of her hair, "She just reminds me of someone I knew."

She searched his eyes for any signs of lying before letting out a sigh as she couldn't find an answer either way, "Katherine?"

He faltered for a moment as he searched for an answer a little unnerved that she could read him so well when she barely knew him, "Yes."

She sensed his unease and thought it best to change the subject, "You're a pretty good dancer."

"Oh, you have no idea." He chuckled and pulled her in closer, his nose brushing along her ear as he leaned down and grazed his lips along her neck before inhaling sharply.

Her brow furrowed as she glanced up at him and gasped when she noticed his eyes seemed almost black around the rims, "Are you okay? Your eyes –"

He cut her off as he took a step back from her, "I'm fine." He shrugged it off and offered her a smirk before lifting her hand and pressing a kiss to it, "Thank you for the dance."

An hour later Faith continued to aimlessly wander around the Lockwood estate, occasionally stopping to chat to neighbours and people that she knew from school. By far this was one of the most boring parties she had ever attended in her life. She finished off the last of her soda and scanned the room for either Elena or Caroline. She spotted Elena looking like she was heading to the bathroom and hurried ahead to catch up with her, slipping her arm through the other girls. She let out a giggle as Elena visibly jumped and glared at her for scaring her before they pushed their way into the bathroom. Caroline was already in there touching up her make-up and offered them a timid smile as they approached.

Elena gave her a side look as she pulled her lip gloss out of her bag, "Hey."

"Hey." Caroline offered back softly before averting her eyes.

Faith frowned concerned when the two girls immediately fell silent and felt like she had missed something, "Are you two okay?"

They both quickly answered with fake smiles across their faces, "Fine."

Caroline took a deep breath and offered some small talk when she saw the worried look on Faith's face, "So how are things with Stefan?"

"Great, just great."

"Really?" Caroline arched a brow disbelieving given what she had witnessed earlier.

Faith nodded having picked up on the lack of enthusiasm in her cousin's reply, "Yeah that was really unconvincing, Lena."

Elena shrugged unable to answer before she took a double take at the side of Caroline's neck where her cardigan had slipped down. Now curious she tugged it down further and frowned at the bruises that marred her skin.

"What is that?"

Caroline flinched back and let out a nervous laugh at she tugged the fabric back up, "Don't."

"Oh my god, Caroline." Elena gasped as she pulled it all the way off her shoulder and saw what looked like a bite mark across her shoulder-blade. She turned to her cousin hoping that she would tell her she was seeing things.

Faith gaped at what she was seeing but there was no mistaking that they were bite marks as she ran her fingers along the raised skin, "Caroline, what the hell? Are those _bite_ marks?"

"It's nothing."

Elena shook her head in disbelief refusing to let the blonde brush this off, "That is not nothing, did somebody hurt you?"

"No! It's nothing, my mom would kill me."

"Did Damon do this?" Faith asked feeling queasy as she waited for an answer before coming to a realisation, "Is that why you guys broke up?""

"Caroline, answer her, did he hurt you?"

Caroline shook her head in denial and gripped Faith's forearms tightly as she frantically tried to reassure the other girl, almost as if she didn't believe the words coming out of her mouth but knowing she had to say them, "No he didn't hurt me; he would _never_ hurt you."

She then abruptly let her go and slapped Elena's hands that were tugging at her clothes away "Leave me alone, Elena!"

"I'm finding Stefan to find out what the hell is wrong with his brother."

* * *

Faith gulped in fresh air as she made her way outside before collecting herself and began to search the crowd for Caroline. She couldn't see her but she did notice Damon making his way up the second set of steps in her direction. She didn't even know what she was doing but she found herself stomping down the stairs to meet him halfway. She couldn't believe that this guy had been flirting with her all night and giving her bedroom eyes while all the time he'd been in town he was abusing her best friend.

Damon smiled at her and chuckled as he gestured to the other side of the garden, "Why is Elena giving me evil eyes from across the room? Is she jealous that I -"

She cut him off with a hard shove to his shoulders and she could tell she took him by surprise by the widening of his eyes, "What the hell is wrong with you? I swear if you go near Caroline I will personally end you and if by chance that doesn't work I'll tell her mother…the Sheriff." She leaned in close at the last part making sure that he understood what she was telling him, "Stay away from her!"

He gaped like a fish out of water for a few moments before realisation dawned on him and he griped her arm to stop her walking away, "Faith –"

Her breath caught at his tight grip and she could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she realised how stupid she was. Here she was storming up to a guy that clearly had no qualms about hurting women. She panicked and tried to yank her arm out of his grasp, hissing as his nails raked down her forearm because of her movements. She eventually freed herself and dashed down the stairs to surround herself with people in case he got any ideas and tried to follow her. Something solid knocked against her shoulder as she tried to pass and she panicked as cool hands caught her sides. She relaxed realising that it was Stefan that had her in his hold as he peered down at her in concern.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She let out a stuttering breath and looked beside him for her cousin but she wasn't there and all Faith wanted to do was find Elena and Caroline and make sure they were okay, "Stefan? Where's Elena?"

He didn't answer as stared down at her arm, it was red and angry looking with a few specks of blood where Damon's nails had caught her in her escape attempt, "Did Damon do that?"

"He seems to be leaving his mark on a lot of people tonight."

One of his hands came up to cup her cheek as he caught her gaze, "He will never hurt you or Elena, I promise."

* * *

Stefan had led her to where Elena was before leaving them both with a promise to handle his brother. Elena had fawned over her arm for a good ten minutes before Faith reminded her that they should really find Caroline because she was sure she was much worse off than she was. Faith bit her lip as she squinted into the darkness that surrounded the grassy area, clutching Elena's hand as the other girl tugged off her shoes so they wouldn't sink into the grass. Faith didn't really care to do the same, they were Caroline's shoes anyway and she'd find her and hear the blonde bitch about them being dirty than not find her at all. Elena tugged at her hand and pointed to her right with the hand that held her shoes and both let out a sigh of relief as they spotted the familiar blonde hair and blue dress.

"There you are we have been looking all over for you."

Faith released her hold on Elena and gingerly touched the other girls elbow to get her attention, "You okay?"

Caroline looked spacey for a moment before giving a watery smile, "I'm fine."

"Caroline, what happened?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine." She insisted sounding breathless and both of them could tell that she was on the urge of breaking down.

"You're shaking!"

Faith glanced worryingly at Elena as they clutched Caroline inbetween them trying to comfort her with soft murmurs and stroking her hair. If anything the gentle touches only spurred on her misery and eventually they found themselves falling to the grass and sitting there until Caroline calmed herself down enough for them to get her home. One thing she was sure of was that she did not want to see Damon Salvatore around her best friend ever again.

_**Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing it's okay not to be okay.  
Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart.  
Tears don't mean you're losing, everybody's bruising.**_


	4. Saving Him?

Thank you so so much to everyone that reviewed and also to those of you that favourited and alerted this story.

Sorry for the slightly delay, I've just graduated from University so it's been a bit of a whirl wind month for me.

I know a few of you are curious about who I picture as protraying as Faith so I've put a link on my profile, I don't want to say here because I know a lot of people prefer to picture their own choice of actress.

* * *

Chapter Four: Saving Him?

**_You got wires, going in.  
You got wires, coming out of your skin.  
There's dry blood, on your wrist.  
Your dry blood on my fingertip._**

Faith pursed her lips in annoyance and tilted her head to give Bonnie an inquiring gaze to which the other girl merely shrugged in reply. They were sitting on Caroline's bed propped up against the headboard as they watched the blonde go about getting ready for school. They'd been trying with no luck to turn the conversation onto Damon and how Caroline was doing after the drama of the Founder's party. Faith had been staying with her for the past three days and was growing more and more concerned as her friend continued to wake up in the middle of the night in a fevered sweat. It had got so bad that she was scared to let the other girl out of her sight. Bonnie had become equally protective although she didn't know the whole story and Faith didn't want to divulge if that wasn't what Caroline wanted.

Bonnie let out a little sigh as she fiddled with the candle in her hand before speaking, "Care, we just want to know that you're okay."

Caroline gave them a tired smile and nodded, "I know, I don't remember much. I just remember Damon standing behind me, kissing my neck or biting my neck. I don't know I passed out, there's hole's in my memory lately it's just weird…Maybe I let him bite me."

"Why would you do that?" Bonnie asked incredulous unable to believe that she would let someone bite her.

"Can we just not talk about it? I don't wanna talk about Damon; I don't wanna talk about any of it."

Faith felt a frown forming on her face as Caroline once again diverted the conversation, "Caroline…"

"Please, Faith. I'm okay, I promise. I just want to go back to normal." Caroline paused and glanced at Bonnie in confusion as the other girl stared intently at the candle in her hand, "What are you doing with that candle?"

Bonnie startled having forgotten where she was for a moment, "Uh –nothing." She set the candle down on Caroline's bedside table and picked up an amber crystal that hung on a long chain instead, "What's this?"

"Damon gave it to me…or was going to give it to me anyway it's mine now."

Faith tapped the crystal softly and smiled as it sparkled in the sunlight, "Pretty."

Bonnie shook her head, "No, it is ugly."

"Well, take your grubby hands of it." Caroline snapped as pulled the necklace out of Bonnie's hands and hung it up delicately on her coat rack.

Faith raised a brow when Bonnie turned to look at her and shrugged before hopping off the bed to grab her bag for school. Anything that she said to Caroline would not be supportive and so she decided just to keep quiet this time. Turning she tugged at Bonnie's hand until the other girl reluctantly got up and they both made their way to the front door where Caroline was waiting impatiently to leave. One thing was sure; Caroline's bossy attitude had not been affected by her trauma at all.

* * *

Matt groaned as Faith sunk another solid ball into the pocket and mock glared at her triumphant giggle. They'd been playing for the past twenty minutes and so far Matt had sunk exactly three balls while Faith only had two left. He knew he'd made a mistake the minute he agreed to play her, she always beat him and she wasn't exactly a gracious winner.

Faith spun around her pool cue as she made her way towards him, nearly knocking over a tray full of drinks on her way before she slung an arm around his shoulders and surveyed the table in front of them, "It doesn't look good for you, Mattie."

"Shut up."

She opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by Elena making her way over to them. She pouted annoyed that her gloating was abruptly cut off but let it go when she saw the gloomy expression on her cousin's face.

Elena offered them a small smile as her eyes swept around the Grill, it fell when they didn't land on who she was looking for, "Hey, guys. Have you seen Stefan?"

Matt considered it before shaking his head, "Nope but if you wanna waste some time you can rack. Faith is kicking my ass and therefore sucks."

Faith jabbed a pointed finger into his chest in response, "I am offended! Just because my pool skills are way more superior to you mere mortals does not mean that I suck."

"Whatever, Short Stack." Matt groused before grinning at Elena as he offered her his pool cure, "I'll let you break."

"Elena, do not play with this hoodlum."

Elena laughed for what felt like the first time in days at the indignant look on Faith's face, "Hoodlum? Are you eighty?"

Faith dramatically gasped as she pressed a hand against her heart as if Elena's words had pained her, "Please do not mock the master." She let out a long suffering sigh before conceding, "Fine, I have winner though."

They game continued on nicely, Elena was actually winning which led to a rant from Matt about Faith teaching people her cheating ways which then led to an argument that she didn't need to cheat when she was just that good. Swiftly Elena diverted that topic of conversation before her cousin's ego could explode all over the room to who was occupying her bathroom when she woke up this morning.

"You will never guess who was in my bathroom this morning."

Faith's nose crinkled in disgust as she wondered how well her Aunt's date had gone last night, "Logan Fell?"

Elena blinked in surprise wondering if she had missed vital information, "What?"

"What?" Faith repeated with wide eyes realising that Jenna probably hadn't told Elena just how serious she was getting with Logan Fell again.

Matt shook his head in amusement and decided to come to the shorter girls rescue, "Who?"

"Vicki, just brushing her teeth, like it's no big deal that they're hooking up."

"Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, your brother and my sister is just weird." Matt admitted with no small amount of unease in his tone.

Faith took a long sip of her water before nodding in agreement, "I second that. Isn't Jeremy like 12?"

Both of her companions gave a chuckle at that, Faith had an issue with letting Jeremy grow up. She preferred to pretend he was still that chubby little twelve year old that worshipped the ground she walked on and thought she could do no wrong instead of surly teenager he was nowadays.

Matt grew serious as their laughter died off, "How late is he?"

Elena checked her phone again before admitting, "Hitting the hour mark. Nothing's wrong though, which means I'm not talking boy problems with you." She tipped her pool cue in Faith's direction, "Either of you."

Faith was a little offended; she had plenty of boy advice to offer, given that she got on with them better than she did girls, "Why not?"

"Because you always just say some smartass comment that ends up coming true."

"Okay Faith I maybe understand –"

"Hey!"

Matt carried on as if she hadn't said anything before remarking, "But it's not like you or I were best friends or anything."

Elena considered it for a moment before giving a reluctant sigh, "Okay. What do you think of Stefan?"

"He's hot." Faith blurted out and then grew defensive at the incredulous looks on both their faces, "Well he is. That family did not get hit with the ugly stick."

Elena rolled her eyes before looking at them for a long moment, "Seriously, do you think he's a good guy?"

"Why has he done something?"

"No, he's just so secretive all the time; I think there's something he doesn't want me to know which just makes me want to know all the more."

Matt chuckled as he asked, "Like what? That he's a serial killer and he keeps a clown suit in his car."

"Mattie!" Faith moaned knowing she was going to have nightmares of Stefan dressed up as a serial killer clown tonight.

"Of course not but what do we know about him?"

"You mean besides him being crazy about you?" Faith asked sarcastically, somewhat amazed that her cousin expected Stefan to blurt out all his deep dark secrets when as far as she knew Elena hadn't divulged that much of her own past to him.

Matt nodded and looked reluctant to point out Stefan's good points to his ex-girlfriend, "Yeah, he's also great at football, little bit of a loner and as much as I hate saying it he might be a nice guy."

"So you guys think I'm just being paranoid."

"Yes."

Matt patted her on the shoulder in a comforting manner, "I think you should talk to him."

"Talk to who? I'm so sorry that I'm late."

The trio's heads shot up at the newcomer's voice and Matt and Faith balked slightly when they noticed it was Stefan and offered him strained smiles as they prepared themselves for the most awkward conversation ever.

Elena eyes light up unwillingly but her mouth remained in a tense line as she held back her temper, "What happened?"

"I got held up."

"Is everything okay?"

Faith could hear the rising anger in her cousin's voice and frantically began to think of excuses for her to leave without making it entirely obvious that she was leaving because she didn't want to witness them fighting or the resulting making up that would likely happen.

Stefan shifted nervously as he answered vaguely, "There's this thing with my uncle."

"And you couldn't call and tell me that you're an hour late?"

Faith let out a whistle threw her teeth and gave up trying to find a type of excuse, "Wow awkward."

Matt evidently agreed with her as he gently gripped her arm to pull her away from the arguing couple, "Yeah, you two have fun."

"This is why I don't do serious relationships."

* * *

Faith fought the urge to toss her bucket of water over Caroline's head as the girl ranted and raved about every little thing people were wearing. She kept quiet however because she knew the blonde would turn on her next because she had a loose white men's t-shirt over her purple bikini top and light denim shorts. Like clockwork Caroline turned her narrowed gaze onto her best friend and her top lip curled in disgust.

She tugged at the dark haired girls t-shirt as she snapped, "Lose the T-shirt, Gilbert!"

Faith moaned and dropped her sponge into the bucket before turning pleading eyes on her friend, "Do I have to?"

Caroline rolled her eyes heavenward in exasperation as she threw her arms out in frustration, "Oh my god, if I have to explain this one more time. The event is called Sexy Suds not Dud Suds."

Faith slipped the top over her head as she inquired, "Dud suds? That's the best you could come up with?"

"Shut up, I'm stressed. Dana can't even manage to wash down a car properly without supervision."

Faith let out a breath of relief when she spotted Elena making her way over to them with a preppy smile on her face, "Oh, hi, cousin. Do you need help? Can Stefan not handle it? I'll do it."

Elena sent her a weirded-out look before smiling at Caroline, "Hey, we're out of towels and those shimmy things."

"Faith will get some more." Caroline replied not so much as looking up from her clipboard.

Faith snorted in distain, "Not your slave Caroline."

Caroline grunted harshly in response and both girls recoiled unsure if the sound had actually come from their usually more ladylike sounding friend.

"Fine, can you at least help me or is that too much trouble as well?"

"Right away, Lady Forbes." Faith mock bowed and swept her arm out, gesturing for Caroline to go first, smirking when Elena let lose a peel of laughter.

Caroline's lips twitched into a reluctant smile before she tapped the money box sitting on the table, "Mind the money, Elena."

Caroline slipped her hand into Faith's and began dragging her towards the school with a carefree wave over her shoulder at Elena as they went. Faith shivered as the school's air conditioning blew down her bare back and wished she was still out in the sunshine. She moaned in annoyance as Caroline tried to open the supply door and it failed to do so. She assumed they were going to have to go to the Janitor's office to get the key but evidently Caroline had other ideas as the other girl pulled her in the opposite direction.

Faith frowned as she trudged along behind her friend, a little concerned with the blank look on her face, "What's wrong with you?"

Caroline immediately stopped and frantically looked around them before facing Faith, "N-nothing, I thought I saw Da-."

She cut herself off and started for the exit with a renewed energy, Faith considered tugging her hand free and getting the hell out of dodge but she was worried that Caroline would end up hurting herself in this state and so hurried along as Caroline made her way to her car.

"Where are you going?" She asked as she clicked in her seatbelt, she didn't get an answer and not knowing what else to say she fell silent.

When they pulled up at the Salvatore boarding house Faith couldn't hold her voice any longer as she jumped out of the car to follow the determined cheerleader, "What the hell are we doing here? Tell me we are not here to see Damon!"

Caroline ignored her and pulled open one of the glass doors from the patio and slipped inside.

"Caroline!"

Only hesitating for a brief moment Faith followed her friend inside and immediately regretted it, with no one seemingly in it the boarding house was one of the creepiest places she'd ever had the displeasure of being in. Damon had a cheek when he agreed with her when she said she didn't like rich being flaunting their money. She could fit her house a few times over in this place and it wasn't poorly decorated either.

"Oh, this is a bad, bad, _bad_ idea."

Caroline glanced around confused as she stuttered, "I have to help him."

Faith frowned warily, she'd repeated that same line in the car ride over a good five or six times, "You _keep_ saying that but you won't tell me _why_."

"I have to –"

"Help him. Yeah, so I hear." Faith groaned as the other girl made her way to the basement; if she found the actually house scary she could only imagine how she would feel about the basement.

She tentatively stepped down the concrete stairs as she kept her attention on Caroline who seemed to be drawn to one of the locked cellar doors, "Oh this is nice and creepy."

"Damon?" She peered through the bars and gasped when she realised Damon was inside, "Oh my god."

Faith rushed up beside her and gaped, "Holy shit, did Stefan lock you up in here?"

Caroline griped the bars tightly and shook her head in confusion, "Wait, how did I know that you were here?"

"What?" Faith did a double take; _Damon_ was the him that Caroline had to help? She had no idea why she would want to help the guy that had been using her as a chew toy.

"Because I wanted you to, very _very_ badly." Damon explained, grunting as he pulled himself up into a standing position and raked his eyes over Faith, "You're an added bonus."

"Thanks." Faith replied unsure of whether that was a creepy compliment or an insult.

"Let me out of here, please."

"You bit me." Caroline remarked softly as her fingertips trailed over her neck in remembrance.

Damon gazed at her intently, "You liked it. Remember?"

Faith was repulsed at the confidence in his words, "You're sick."

"Why do I keep remembering the same things but in different ways?"

"Because he's messing with your head, Caroline." Faith griped the other girls hand and tried to move her away from the door as she gave Damon a judging look, "I can't believe I actually felt sorry for you just now."

Damon snapped his head in her direction and his eyes contracted the same way they had the night of the homecoming game and she found herself unable to look away, "Faith be a good girl and go to my room until I come get you while I chat to our girl here."

"I don't – "

"Now."

She struggled against it but her feet moved without her permission, she didn't even know what room was Damon's but still she ascended the staircase and walked along the dark hallway before entering what looked like one of the bigger bedrooms. Now inside the room she gained control over her movements again but realised she couldn't open the door no matter how much she tried to make herself. She felt her eyes well with tears and fought off the panic attack she could feel working its way up her throat. Instead she paced in the centre of the room, stilling when she heard footsteps steadily making their way towards her.

Damon entered the room with his usual smirk on his face, "Hello, beautiful."

Without so much as thinking what he would do she threw herself forward as she rushed for the door, screaming when Damon's arm quickly locked around her waist to swing her back into the room.

"Please don't make me hurt you."

She panted bracing herself to make another escape attempt when she asked him, "Why am I here? Where's Caroline?"

"Oh don't worry your little friend ran away leaving you all alone." He tutted in fake sympathy as he gazed back at her, his eyes dropping to linger on the skin exposed by her bikini top. In any other situation she may have found herself embarrassed or worse flattered, but as it was she was fairly certain that her life was actually in danger right now.

"Damon." She snapped as his eyes had yet to leave her chest.

She blinked and he was in front of her, his finger pressed softly against her full lips as he shushed her, "Shh, now I need to run a few errands later and I can't have you running off so I need you to sleep until I come back. Don't want Saint Stefan hearing you and rushing in to rescue you either."

She whimpered as he gently pushed her down onto his bed, his fingers trailing down her sides as he leant over her, "Please, just let me go."

He smiled almost tenderly before griping her face in his hands so she was unable to avoid his eyes, "Sleep."

Immediately she felt herself grow tired and for a moment she fought against it before her body relaxed into the soft mattress below her. She rolled onto her stomach and clutched the pillow closer to her as if she were in her own bed and she faintly heard Damon speak to her before she fell into a blissful sleep.

"Night, night, kitten."

_**Running, down corridors through, automatic doors.**_  
_**Got to get to you, got to see this through.**_  
_**First night of your life, curled up on your own.**_  
_**Looking at you now, you would never know.**_


	5. The Other Side

So sorry for the extremely delayed update but I've officially Graduated for University, yay!

* * *

Chapter Five: The Other Side

_**Taste me, drink my soul.  
Show me all the things that I shouldn't know.  
And there's a new moon on the rise.**_

Faith let out a drawn out moan as the bed underneath her shifted abruptly but still in the hazy realm of sleep she just rolled onto her other side and snuggled back into the soft pillow below her head. A sleepy smile made its way onto her face as someone began playing with her hair, assuming it was Elena she leaned into the touch and decided it was probably time for her to get up. She tried to open her eyes while she stretched out the arm that wasn't tucked beneath her and rested it on the body next to her. She frowned at the hard muscles beneath her hand instead of Elena's soft stomach and with startlingly realization the previous events came back to her. Her eyes flew open properly with a gasp to meet Damon's stare, for a moment she felt herself trapped in the colors of his eyes before shifting upright in bed. Her progress was halted by Damon's strong grip around her waist as he tugged her backwards against his chest.

"Let's not do the whole trying to escape bit again."

She squirmed in place in somewhat disbelief that she had slept peacefully in his bed for hours, "You could always just let me go."

He pondered it for a moment before shaking his head in the negative, "And lose my bargaining chip? Not likely."

She forced herself a glare onto her face despite the fearful hammering of her heart as she twisted in his grasp to look at him, she'd rather be able to see if he was going to attack her before he actually done it. She paused as she caught sight of fresh blood on his bottom lip and before she'd even processed what she was doing she swiped her thumb across the plump flesh to clean the liquid off.

Damon blinked lazily as he watched her with a heated gaze before pinning her flush against the bed as he loomed over her, his mouth closing around her thumb as his tongue swirled around the digit to clean off the blood. He released it with a wet pop and smiled in amusement as the petite brunette seemed to gather her thoughts and was now horrified at her actions and his reaction to them.

Faith chose to ignore their current positioning as she asked, "Whose was that?"

"What makes you think it isn't mine?"

"What are you?" Faith countered instead of answering him, there was no way that he was human, not with the way he moved and how he had managed to control her by simply looking into her eyes.

Damon hummed as he pushed back the bit of hair that had fallen across her eye, "I think you already know the answer to that."

She hadn't, at least not until she had seen the blood smeared across his lips but she wasn't going to play dumb now in the hopes that he would spare her life, "Are you going to kill me?"

Damon cocked his head to the side as she unknowingly uttered the same words her best friend had only day's earlier but found himself struggling to answer her as easily as he had Caroline. Instead he answered vaguely, "If you become entirely useless to me."

She stared back at him, her eyes wide and innocent and he felt something stir in his chest that he hadn't felt in a long time before he pushed it aside and lifted himself up and over her to escape. He made his way over to his closet and pulled out two tops from within, one his standard black shirt and the other a deep grey t-shirt.

He turned and held them up for inspection for his reluctant house guest, "Which one?"

Faith gritted her teeth and considered telling him to go to hell before reconsidering, "Black suits you."

He smirked at her as he carelessly tossed the grey one aside and made his way back over to the edge of the bed, "So you've noticed me."

She threw him a scathing look in return and he laughed thoroughly thrilled that she seemed to regain some of the previous fire he'd noticed in her. Besides she'd be no fun at all if she sat about pouting all day.

He tossed the shirt into her lap and explained when he caught her confused glance, "What? I can be nice. I figured you'd want to cover up all that _exposed _skin." He then tugged at her hands until she got up from the bed, "I brought you a friend."

She snorted and broke free of his grip to shrug on his shirt, less concerned that it was his than she was that she was half naked in front of a psychotic killer, "Are they like you because if so I'll do without?"

He gasped and pressed a hand to his chest in mock hurt, "That wounds me."

Without another word he made his way out of his bedroom door and down the stairs. Faith hesitated for a few moments; she shot a glance at the window before dismissing the idea of escaping through it as she pictured herself falling to her death from the huge height. If she wanted any hope of breaking free she'd need to go downstairs and try to distract Damon long enough for her to get away. However upon entering the living room it was Faith that became distracted.

Faith gaped at the girl lying bleeding across Damon's couch, "Vicki?"

She quickly made her way over to the other girl, grimacing as she took in the gaping bite mark on her neck. She picked up the fallen cloth that was lying useless on Vicki's chest and pressed it against the wound as she maneuvered herself under the older girl to cradle her head against her chest.

"She didn't get any blood on the couch did she?" Damon asked as he carelessly swished his drink around in his glass.

With a heavy sigh at her scowl he sat down on the coffee table in front of them and knocked back his drink and gave them a considering look before he stood up again.

"Fine. I'm so gonna regret this."

Faith's brow furrowed in confusion she had no idea what he was apparently relenting to but she felt herself get more nervous the closer that he came. Her grip on Vicki tightened as he stepped up behind them and bit into his wrist.

"Ew."

He grinned at her with bloody teeth before delving his free hand into her hair at the back of her head, straining her neck backwards before reaching around her with his bloodied arm to press it against Vicki's open mouth. The other girl struggled a bit in Faith's arms with a whimper before she settled down and began sucking Damon's blood in earnest. Faith however remained tense as Damon loomed over her once again, his face pressed against the side of her neck. She let out her own whimper of fear as his blunt teeth nipped at the delicate skin.

"Just a taste." He murmured seemingly to himself as he inhaled deeply.

Faith sent a silent apology to the girl in her lap before she forcefully removed herself from the couch and in turn escaped Damon's grip. Damon seemed a little dazed that she was no longer in front of him and straightened, rolling his eyes when Vicki let out a whine and tried to latch back onto his arm before falling unconscious again.

Faith tried to look stern despite the fact that she was literally shaking in fear, "I am not your lunch!"

Damon grinned and took a step towards her and chuckled when she took another step back in response, "You're at least dinner, maybe even dessert too."

Faith looked affronted at his response, "A-are you serious? What the hell is wrong with you?" She slapped him as her rage built and her palm stung in response while he hardly looked affected, "We are not your playthings!"

She went to hit him again when he caught her hand in a tight grip and leaned into her personal space, his face devoid of all previous teasing, "Do not hit me again."

She nodded shakily and then startled as Vicki came to with a strangled gasp, Damon reluctantly let her go and went to attend to Vicki while Faith stumbled over to Damon's discarded whiskey and poured herself a healthy amount and gulped it back with a wince. Aunt Jenna was right; she was a magnet for trouble and she had no idea how she was getting herself out of this one. With trembling hands she poured herself another drink but sipped it slowly this time, remembering the last time alcohol and Damon were mixed. She glanced up and caught Damon's stare before shyly looking away as Vicki bounded back into the room freshly showered and apparently in high spirits. Damon briefly explained what happened to her before telling her they were going to party. Faith gagged slightly as they then began some weird blood exchange. Vicki caught sight of the other girl out the corner of her eye and pulled away from Damon with a happy grin.

"Faith! You want some?" She asked suggestively as she licked an errant drop of blood from the corner of her mouth.

Faith raised her brows in disbelief at what was actually happening before her before shaking her head and lifting up the bottle of whiskey in reply, "I'm good."

Vicki shrugged and went back to sucking on Damon's wrist before he tugged it free and moved away from her. He approached Faith slowly with a glazed look and if she knew anything about vampires she would have said it was some form of blood lust.

He sliced open his finger against his teeth before holding it teasingly in front of her, "Live a little."

She moved her head back from the offending digit and scrunched her face up in disgust, "No, thank you."

He rolled his eyes and pushed it against her lips, trying to push past her tightly clenched lips. She hissed as he pushed against her still healing cut on her bottom lip causing it to break open and start bleeding. It was slowly healing from homecoming due to her constant need to chew her lip when she was bored. She opened her mouth to reprimand him but instead squeaked in surprise as his mouth latched onto her own, his hand cupping her neck to pull her closer as he sucked her lip into his mouth and ran his tongue along the cut to lap up the blood there. He pulled back and smacked his lips with a satisfied moan before tugging his whiskey bottle from her lax grip and taking a gulp. Faith remained a little dazed before Vicki blasted the stereo up and began twirling around the room like an escaped mental patient.

"I am so over Tyler, so over him! I knew from the beginning that I was only a piece of ass to him but I thought maybe if he got to know me better he might see something more."

Faith snorted and took another drink as she mumbled, "Cause that's generally what happens when you're an asshats constant booty call."

Vicki evidently heard her as she smirked at the petite girl, "But Jeremy on the other hand? All he's ever seen in me is something more and I love that."

Faith mimed throwing up and tugged the whiskey bottle free from Damon's grasp so she could top up her glass before handing it back, "That's disgusting."

Damon raised a brow at them both, "Jeremy huh? Faith's cousin, Elena's little brother?"

"Yeah, yeah. So Elena used to date my brother and they were always together and Jeremy would always be hanging around and crushing on me –"She paused and eyed him for a moment before asking, "Hey, why don't you have a girlfriend? You're like totally cool and so hot."

Damon made a face like he didn't need to be told that, "I know."

Vicki twirled before clapping excitedly as she looked between her companions, "Wait, are you guys dating? You're such a sexy couple. " She then attempted to whisper to Damon, "I've been skinny dipping with her, if I was a dude I'd bone her."

"Yes and do tell."

"No." Faith countered before sending Vicki an incredulous look, "Please do not describe what I look like naked to him."

"Okay but don't you guys wanna be in love?"

Faith was taken by surprise by Damon's answer, "I've been in love, it's pointless and painful and overrated."

"Except when it isn't."

"No more talking, let's dance!"

Vicki giggled as he swung her around before dipping her; she flung her head back with a laugh and pointed at Faith, "Get over here, party girl."

Damon brought her upright as he asked, "Party girl?"

Vicki pouted as she twisted her hips to the beat, "Faith is usually way more fun."

Damon sauntered over to her with an innocent smile causing her to shake her head furiously, "Hell no. My idea of a good time is not when I've been kidnapped by a vampire who has chewed on not one but now two of my friends."

Damon let out an exasperated breath and caught her gaze like he had when he forced her to go up to his room, "Faith, for the rest of the time you are in this house, I want you to party like we are best friends."

Faith blinked before knocking back the rest of her drink and then hopped up and danced her way over to Vicki who let out a squeal and gripped her hands to pull her around with her.

* * *

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since Damon asked her to party but she was having a blast, she was feeling the effects of her drinking and dancing around wasn't helping her state of dizziness at all but she didn't really care. She clamored up onto the coffee table and swiveled her hips slowly to the beat, tugging her borrowed shirt up teasingly as Vicki pretended to throw money at her. She giggled as she twirled around and caught sight of Damon swaying from side to side as he finished off the bottle of whiskey. She caught his eye and crooked a finger at him suggestively. He let the bottle hit the table behind him with a thump as he made his way over to her. She slid her arms over his shoulders and around his neck as his hands took hold of her hips, she smirked at him as she swayed from side to side before gasping as he slide his hands down to grip the back of her thighs and pulled her against him causing her to lock her legs around his waist. She giggled in delight as he spun her around before tossing her gently onto the couch.

She bounced back up and jokingly started to grind with Vicki before Damon caught both their attention as he took a running jump at the second floor railing and started dancing up there. Faith turned away as Vicki gestured for him to come back down, instead picking up a new bottle of whiskey and taking a sip, she pushed her free hand into her hair as she closed her eyes and lost herself in the beat of the music. She jumped as someone smacked her on the ass and then Damon appeared long enough for him to take the bottle from her grasp with a grin as he gestured for her to follow Vicki and himself. He led them up to what she assumed was Stefan's room and she felt too bad to start trashing his room like the two of them so instead chose to bounce happily on his bed, in the long run she didn't think Stefan would mind some messed up bed sheets. She noticed Damon pick up something from the desk and suddenly the mood grew somber. With a pout she jumped down from the bed and ducked under his arm to snatch the bottle from him and decided to crank the music in Stefan's room to try and get back the mood. She left the two of them to their own devices and began her party of one as she drank and danced around the bed. She knew she should stop drinking before she ended up making herself sick but she felt the need to keep on partying anyway.

The music switched to a slow song causing Faith to whirl around and spot Damon changing the channel, "What the hell?"

Her lip curled up in annoyance as Damon and Vicki began swaying together, tightly locked in an embrace as they started to complain about their lives. With a mournful sigh she dropped down onto her butt before spreading out across Stefan's bed with a huff.

"My mom's in Virginia Beach with Pete, he drives trucks. I don't remember my dad but from what I gather he's not worth remembering."

"Your life is so pathetic." Damon commented with a tinge of disbelief in his tone.

Faith giggled before slapping a hand over her mouth as she realized how insensitive that was, she knew Vicki and Matt had a hard life and she'd never reacted that way before. She frowned at her behaviour, wondering why she wanted to say screw the world, change the music and keep on partying.

Vicki carried on as if she hadn't heard a thing, "Yeah, I'm the screwed up one, Matt has it so easy. Golden boy. I mean he's going to get a football scholarship, marry Elena and have a lawnmower and some babies. When I think of my future I just come up blank."

This time Faith did roll her eyes, "You do realize you've lived the same life right? Say no to drugs, dude. It might help."

Damon repressed a grin at the petite girl before gracing Vicki with his best sympathy face as he cupped her face, "You are so damaged. You don't have one hint of self-esteem. I think I know what can help you."

"What's that?"

Faith propped herself up onto her elbows curious as to what his answer was before screaming as Damon declared his answer as 'Death' and snapped the older girls neck. Vicki dropped to the floor with a thud and Faith scrambled up the bed with a pillow clutched to her chest suddenly sober as Damon glanced back at her in annoyance.

"Didn't we get over the being scared of me thing?"

Faith had been staring at Vicki's still body for the past ten minutes and only looked away when a sizzling sound filled the now silent room. She pried her eyes away from the dead girl in the middle of the floor to see Damon pull his hand back from the sunshine streaming through the curtains as his burnt hand began to heal.

"What are you doing?"

He was saved from answering as Vicki began to wake up, Faith watched her with wide frantic eyes.

"What happened?"

Damon smiled at her, "I killed you."

Vicki tried to push past the thumping in her head and asked, "What?"

"You're dead."

"I'm dead?"

Faith gaped at the very not dead girl, "She's dead?"

"Yeah, let's not make a big deal outta it." He asked before explaining to Vicki why she was dead, "You drank my blood, I killed you and now you need to feed in order to complete the process."

Faith quickly caught on, she wasn't a horror buff for nothing, "She's – is she _turning_?"

"Gold star, babe." Damon commented somewhat surprised that she knew what was happening.

Vicki peered up at them in utter confusion before shaking it off, "You two are wasted."

Damon tsked but made no move to stop her as she stumbled towards the door picking her clothes up on the way, "You don't wanna go out there alone. You're about to get _really_ freaky."

"Look, I had a really good time but I just wanna go home."

"Damon –"Faith started but stopped unsure of what she was about to ask him to do. Stop Vicki? Comfort her? This entire day had come crashing down on her.

"You're gonna start craving blood and until you get it you're gonna feel very out of it. You have to be careful."

"C'mon, move."

"See you're already starting to fall apart."

"I'm going home now."

"Okay, fine. I'm just warning you." Damon held his hands up before his eyes lit up and he pointed at her, "Actually you know what? You should go, in fact if I was you I would stop by your boyfriend Jeremy's house."

Faith's head shot up as soon as he mentioned Jeremy's name, "What? No!"

She leapt to her feet and tried to push past Damon but he caught her easily enough around the waist and held her in place, "Easy."

"Vicki, please don't."

Vicki goggled at them too hung-over and sore to pay much attention to Faith's urgency, "You two are weird, bye."

"If you see Stefan tell him to call me!"

Faith whirled around her fingers fisting in Damon's shirt as she tugged him down to her level, "Why would you do that?"

Damon allowed himself to be pulled down to her eye level and smiled smugly at her in return, "Because I can."

"Please, Damon, please let me go."

"Maybe, let's wait til nighttime though, hmm?"

* * *

Having left the house and bundled into Damon's car as soon as nightfall hit, all that was left of Faith's previous good mood had vanished and she was left in a seething anger as she realized Damon had forced her to do something against her will yet again. However she kept quiet because it looked like he might've been letting her go as he drove up and parked on the road in-between her and Elena's houses. Once he was out the car he rounded to her side, opened the door and gripped her by her elbow to tug her gently from the car. They made their way silently up to Elena's front door; well Damon tried to start small talk but was met with stony silence so instead he just knocked heavily on the door.

It swung open to reveal Elena's stunned face as she fearfully took in Damon's tight grip on her cousin, "Faith?"

She smiled back weakly so Jeremy wouldn't start freaking out, "Hey."

Elena seemed to cotton on as she ordered, "Jeremy, go upstairs."

Damon suppressed a smirk at the look on the other Gilbert girl's face, "You're afraid of me, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess Stefan finally fessed up."

Elena ignored his attempts at conversation and gripped Faith's free hand and tried to pull her into the house, "Give me Faith and stay away from us."

"Ohh, don't get rude I'm just looking for Stefan. May we come in? Oh, wait of course I can, I've been invited."

Damon's hand slid from Faith's arm as he casually hooked two fingers into the belt loops on her shorts once they were in the house, knowing he could pull her away and drain her and her cousin dry in an instant if he had to.

"We can cut to the chase if you want. I'm not gonna kill either of you right now, that wouldn't serve my greater agenda. So, where's Stefan?"

Elena gritted her teeth but refused to lose her composure or her grip on Faith, "He's out looking for Vicki."

Damon took a step towards her and Faith nervously shuffled beside them, steeling her nerves to throw herself in-between her cousin and Damon if she had to.

"Don't look at me with those judgey little eyes; I've had enough of that from your cousin here. That girls gonna thank me for what I did to her."

Faith took a wild stab in the dark at his past history in order to throw him off the kill Elena train, "Did you thank Katherine?"

Elena raised a brow as she wondered if Damon had told Faith about how Stefan and himself were turned into vampires but tossed it aside for the time being, "Well did you?"

"Got the whole life story, huh?"

"Got enough." Elena snapped causing Faith to raise a brow at her boldness.

"Oh, I doubt that." He sneered before pulling on Faith's belt loops causing her to press against his side even as Elena tried to pull her away, "I thought we were pals now."

She tried to keep her poker face as she shrugged, "Your mistake, my friendship is earned not forced out of me."

He cocked his head to the side as he stared down at her before turning back to Elena and offered her a false smile, "Tell my brother I'm looking for him."

He scanned Elena's body twice before lingering on her face, with a ghost of a smile he turned and pressed his lips against the apple of Faith's cheek before making his way to the door.

The door stopped inches from closing before it swung back open and his head peeked back in as he offered them a smirk and a wink, "Tip for later? Be careful who you invite in the house."

"We are so dead."

_**Take me I'm alive.  
Never was a girl with a wicked mind.  
But everything looks better when sun goes down.**_


	6. All Hallows Eve

Since this update has been a long time coming, I have two chapters for you guys, the other will be uploaded in a day or two once some editing has been done.

Thanks for sticking with it and reviewing!

Also Damon kisses for the person who can find the Buffy quote in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter Six: All Hallows Eve

_**If you could only see the beast you've made of me.  
I held it in but now it seems you've set it running free.  
Screaming in the dark, I howl when we're apart.  
Drag my teeth across your chest to taste your beating heart.  
**_

Faith opened the door and squinted into the sun as she ran her hand through her bed mussed hair. She was less than impressed that she had been dragged from her bed before her alarm for school had went off by a relentless pounding on her door. After several seconds of wincing from the sunlight she eventually made out Elena's face as the other girl stood nervously on her porch.

"Seriously? I could have had at least another thirty minutes of sleep before school."

The other girl fidgeted and shot her an overtly fake smile, "I wanted to ask you to come somewhere with me."

"Okay…" She agreed warily before taking a good look at her cousins face, "Oh, hell no!"

"Please, I really need to talk to Stefan but I-I don't want to go by myself. You're the only other person who knows what I know. Faith, please." She pleaded.

Faith groaned as she took in the 'My puppy just got kicked into a wall' look, "Fine, give me fifteen minutes."

Sure enough fifteen minutes later she found herself sitting in Elena's car on the way to the Salvatore boarding house wishing she was heading anywhere but there. She was praying that Damon wasn't there because she was not up to dealing with him after their last encounter. Nor was she ready to remember and deal with her actions during said time with him.

Elena sighed as they pulled up outside and hesitated before opening her door and getting out. Faith slowly followed her lead in no particular hurry to get it over with. She startled as Elena gripped her hand before ringing the doorbell with the other one when they stepped up onto the porch.

Faith arched an eyebrow at the taller girl who returned it with a shrug, "Moral support?"

Damon unfortunately answered the door with his usual smirk as he leaned against the door frame, his eyes roaming both of them. Faith rolled her eyes while Elena visibly tensed before calming herself down when Faith squeezed her fingers in comfort.

She took a deep breath before asking, "Is Stefan here?"

Damon inclined his head slightly in answer, "Yep."

"Where is he?"

Damon let out a little disgruntled puff of air before speaking, "And good morning to you too little Miss I'm on a mission." He then slid his eyes over to Faith and his gaze lingered on her bare legs as he greeted her, "Faith, you look good enough to eat."

"Please go die."

He grinned at her, "Someone's feisty this morning."

Elena scoffed and crossed her arms over chest, "How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done?"

"How can you be so brave and _stupid_ to call a vampire arrogant and glib?"

"If you wanted me dead, I'd be dead."

Damon nodded once, "Yes, you would."

Elena grew a little braver at his answer, "But I'm not."

Damon's eyes narrowed as if sensing her rising confidence, "Yet."

Faith squeezed herself in-between the two of them as they traded glares, "Okay, as fun as this is maybe you should go find Stefan, Elena."

Elena hesitated but moved to push past Damon when Faith gave her a reassuring nod.

Damon smiled as she passed him, "He's upstairs, knock yourself out." He then turned to the other girl and side stepped so she wasn't able to follow her cousin.

Faith grunted softly when she banged into Damon's side, "What are you? Five?"

He tutted and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as he invaded her personal space, "I never did get that taste now did I?"

Faith tilted her back as his lips brushed fleetingly across her own due to his closeness, she breathed out slowly and arched into him as she spoke, "Damon, the only chance you have with me is when I'm unconscious."

He smiled tightly before grasping her hip, his fingers digging painfully into her skin as he pulled her into him while the other gripped her chin firmly, "One day you're gonna beg me for it."

She relented somewhat as she admitted carelessly, "Maybe." She then pulled herself from his arms and moved towards the door, "But not today."

She then made her way quickly through the front door as she tried to calm her frantically beating heart; his surprised chuckle followed her until she closed the door behind her. Letting out a relived sigh she started the search for Stefan and her cousin, eventually finding them in the dining room with Vicki. Her brows rose at the tense silence and she debated whether she even wanted to get involved before mentally shrugging and figuring what the hell.

"Hola, vampires…and Elena."

Vicki visibly perked up as she smiled at her before frowning and getting up from her seat as she asked Stefan, "Where's your bathroom? I have to pee. Why do I have to pee? I thought I was dead."

Stefan stood as well and greeted Faith before informing both girls he had to go out, "I'll be quick."

Elena ran her hands over her face, "This is such a mess."

"Yeah, I should totally kick Damon's ass for this."

Elena laughed, "I would pay to see that."

They smiled at each other before turning towards the sound of high heels on hardwood as Vicki made her way back into the room informing them that her need to pee was a false alarm.

"Who are you calling?" Elena asked a little worried when she spotted the phone in the older girl's hand.

Vicki smiled before turning back to the phone, "Jeremy."

Elena shot Faith a frantic look of panic at Vicki's answer, "Vicki you can't see Jeremy."

"Oh, don't you start. I'm gonna see whoever I want to see." Vicki retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"Even though you could hurt him?"

Faith bit her lip in concern when she saw Vicki getting worked up, "Elena, maybe you should back off."

"You should really listen to her. Besides I would never hurt Jeremy."

Elena nodded softly and tried to choose her words carefully, "I know you think that but I can't take that risk. You're gonna have to let Jeremy go now."

Faith let out a nervous laugh when realised how that sounded to everyone other than Elena, "She really didn't mean as in like forever, she just meant for today, right Elena?"

"No, it's not safe for him to be around her." She replied evidently not understanding the danger they were potentially in.

Vicki slammed her phone down against the table with a sharp crack, "Oh, really? How long have you been preparing the 'You're not good enough speech'? I'm assuming it pre-dates the whole vampire thing."

"All I'm saying is, is that Jeremy is not getting involved in any of this. I mean it, Vicki."

"Or what?" Vicki retorted before slamming Elena back into the doorframe with her hand wrapped tightly around her throat, "Let's get one thing straight you perky little bitch. You had my brother whipped for fifteen years, fifteen years and then you dumped him. When I look at you that is all I see, just so you know. I'm gonna see Jeremy when I want to see Jeremy because I have some fun new toys to play with and I won't think twice about ripping your pretty little head off."

Faith tugged at the hand that was cutting off Elena's air supply in vain, "Vicki, she gets it! Let her go!"

Vicki lashed out her arm hitting the other girl squarely in the chest which sent her stumbling hard into the wall behind her, "Sorry, Faith."

"Are you okay?" Faith groaned out as she rubbed her chest.

Elena nodded as she gestured upstairs in the direction Vicki went, "Can you talk to her? She listens to you."

"I don't know, Elena. I don't want my windpipe to get crushed like yours."

"Please? For Jeremy?"

Faith huffed knowing that she really couldn't say no to that and began her trip upstairs. She walked slowly down the hallway hoping to hear movement from one of the rooms.

"Vicki?"

"Faith?" She replied her voice muffled but close.

Faith stepped into the closest bedroom and found Vicki sprawled across the bed with an arm thrown across her face. The older girl peeked out and winced when she saw the red mark across Faith's chest which had yet to fade in colour.

"I'm sorry; I don't know what I'm doing."

Faith shrugged and tried to brush off the incident in fear of invoking another volatile reaction, "It's okay."

"No, it's not. What if I do? What if I hurt him?"

Faith sighed and climbed up onto the bed to lay down beside her, "I know you love him but maybe – and just hear me out without trying to me kill me, maybe you need to stay away from him for a little while until you get a hold of 'all your new toys'."

"Yeah, maybe you're right." She paused and smiled when she took in their positions lying at the foot of the bed, "This reminds me of our sleepovers when Matt and Elena were dating."

"Yeah, pre-vampires."

Vicki smiled sadly and griped Faith's hand that was lying beside her, "Can you stay? For a little while?"

"Yeah." Faith replied softly hoping that by doing so she was bringing at least a little comfort back into Vicki's world.

The quiet reflective mood was broken when Damon stepped into the room and looked down at them in confusion, "What are you two doing?"

"I'm contemplating the next a hundred years of my life and I imagine Faith is contemplating an escape route from this town."

Faith nodded while her eyes remained on the ceiling actively refusing to acknowledge Damon any more than she was, "I'm thinking Mexico."

Vicki smiled before twisting around to lie on her stomach and then propped herself up on her elbows so she was facing Damon, "Why'd you do it?"

Damon sat down beside her and looked a little sheepish as he admitted, "I was bored."

Faith scoffed in disgust but made no further comment, "Ugh."

"You did this to me outta boredom?"

"It's one of the pitfalls of eternity."

"Now, I'm bored." She smiled teasingly as she leaned over the smaller girl, the ends of her hair tickling her face, "Faith."

Faith groaned and shoved against her, "Get out my face."

Vicki laughed and swung a leg over the other side of her so she was straddling her thighs, "C'mon you're my favourite."

"Ew, get off. Vicki, I swear to god." Faith warned when Vicki flexed her fingers like she was about to tickle her.

"Fine but all I can think about is blood." She admitted before retreating to her own side of the bed.

"Why would say that to the only human in the room?"

Damon who'd been watching them in silent amusement shifted so he was closer to them and whispered to Faith, "I'll protect you." Before turning his attention back to Vicki, "Have you just been coped up in here all day?"

Faith held up a hand as she sat up to get their attention, "Is this leading to some weird vampire training thing because if so I'm out."

"You sure? We can play hide n seek, if I catch you I get to eat you." Damon teased his fingers tugging at the ends of her hair playfully.

"Damn, tempting but no." She then hopped up off the bed and offered a wave to them as she walked out the door, "Good luck with the psychopath, Vic."

* * *

"I look like a whore!" Faith complained through the open bathroom door, making a disgusted face at herself in the mirror.

She was dressed up as the vampire Jessica from True Blood, only she was in the characters version of little red riding hood which consisted of a red and black corset, little black short shorts and a red silk cape and not much else. The only thing she liked about the outfit was her knee length leather boots.

Elena poked her head through the opening and grinned as she watched the petite girl squirm as she tugged at her outfit, "I think you look hot."

"I do not want to be that girl that thinks they can get away with dressing as a major slut just because it's Halloween."

Elena sighed and stepped closer to Faith to hug her from behind, "We sort of need this ok? With all the crazy stuff that's been happening lately, it might be nice to pretend that we aren't making sure Jeremy isn't eaten by his vampire girlfriend tonight."

Faith rolled her eyes but nodded before making a face again, "Ugh, Tyler is so going to hit on me."

Having arrived at the school, Faith's ass had been slapped on more than one occasion and many a leer had been sent at her boobs while girls sneered at her for her bold choice of outfit. She huffed irritably wondering for the hundredth time why she had let Elena talk her into this; her cousin's outfit wasn't nearly as revealing as her own. Sure it was a little skimpy considering it was Elena but at least her assets weren't in danger of spilling out at any point.

Looking to her left she spotted Elena and Matt trading awkward long glances which caused Jeremy to nudge her to get her attention before giving her a mockery longing glance of his own. She giggled and batted her eyelashes at him before shoving him, whispering to 'stop it' before the others noticed them making fun of them. Spotting Tyler ahead with his Lockwood Special drink she tapped Elena on the arm and pointed in his direction indicating where she was going.

Tyler spotted her before she reached him and his eyes widened as they took in her outfit, "Damn, Gilbert. Where have you been hiding that?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile and snatched his drink from his hand, "I am so not drunk enough for this." She glanced around the room before asking, "Have you seen Caroline or Bonnie?"

"I don't know where Caroline went but Bonnie's out front. She's dressed like a witch."

Faith smiled her thanks before heading out to find either one of her friends. She grumbled as she passed yet another girl dressed up like a witch and had decided to give up on trying to find Bonnie and look for Caroline instead when said girl came running in her direction. Taking note of the panicked look on her face Faith reached out quickly to grasp the other girls arm preventing her from getting away.

"Bonnie, are you okay?"

Bonnie winced before relaxing when she realised who was holding her, "Damon, he just – I just have to go."

"Bonnie!"

Faith watched in confusion as Bonnie all but ran like the devil himself was on her heels. With a scowl she spun around and spotted Damon standing beside one of the decorative cauldrons with a stunned expression. Furious she marched up to him and hit him hard in the shoulder knowing that it would hurt her more than him but it felt oddly satisfying and she was sure he deserved worse.

"What did you do to Bonnie?"

He widened his eyes in mock innocence, "Nothing, I'm behaving. You should be proud of me."

She scoffed as she set her cup down on the table to her right and then jammed her hands on her hips to stop herself from hitting him again, "Then why did she go running out of here like her ass was on fire?"

He snorted at her metaphor, "How do you come up with these things?" He then leered at her which abruptly reminded her how little clothing she had on, "You look delicious."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

She threw a hand out in exasperation, "Talking about me like I'm a pastry, I'm not edible, Damon!"

He smirked, "Oh but you are…in so many ways."

"I hate you." She hissed and turned on her heel without another word to walk away from him.

"I hate it when we fight like this, baby!"

So consumed in her annoyance and desperation to get home she barely noticed the sounds of a fight happening at the other end of the parking lot where the buses were kept. She soon broke into a run when she distinctly heard Elena screaming Vicki's name. Rounding the corner she shrieked as Elena landed heavily on some wooden crates. She made her way to her side and griped her elbow to pull her up before both of them turned to face Vicki who looked like she was seconds away from ripping both their throats out. However Stefan appeared from what seemed like nowhere and managed to fend her off before she disappeared from sight.

"Go! Faith, get them inside."

She nodded realising that she was the only one that wasn't shell-shocked or bleeding and so it was her job to get them somewhere safe. She ushered them in the direction of the back door before attempting to follow them. She barely made it two steps before something sharp punctured her neck causing her to scream sharply. Jeremy reached her first but he was easily batted aside as Vicki continued to feed from her, Elena pulled sharply on the vampire's hair to get her to loosen her grip. She eventually did and Faith slumped heavily to the ground once released and saw through bleary eyes that Vicki had now latched onto Elena's neck instead. Vicki stopped feeding with a gasp as a stake was shoved into her back and through her heart by Stefan.

Jeremy tried to find his footing when he realised what had happened but Stefan stopped before he could reach her, "Vicki!"

"Get him out of here." Elena ordered before kneeling down beside the now fallen and dead Vicki, shooting Faith a concerned look as she did so which the other girl replied to with a groan.

Faith rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself off the ground with a muffled moan of pain. She finally got herself onto her feet before swaying back, only to fall against something solid. Her head lulled back onto someone's shoulder and she squinted up at Damon's jaw.

His gaze however was fixated on Elena who hadn't noticed his approach, "You should go, I've got this."

Elena made no attempt to hide her anger as she turned to him, "You did this, this is your fault."

Damon started to shrug but stopped when the girl leaning against him whimpered, "You confuse me with someone with remorse."

Blinded by her rage Elena pushed against his shoulder and went to slap him but he caught her hand before she could, however both of their movements caused his grip to loosen on Faith and she dropped back onto the ground with a small scream of pain.

Damon glanced down at her before turning his attention back to Elena who looked stunned at her actions, "None of this matters to me. _None_ of it."

Elena's brow furrowed, "People die around you, it matters and you know it." She went to slap him again and this time she was successful.

Damon stared at her for a few moments before letting out a hum, "You need to leave; your wounds are bleeding and you need to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere without Faith."

"You might find it difficult to carry her."

"What?" Elena asked confused before gasping as she realised during her argument with Damon, Faith had fallen unconscious due to her heavily bleeding neck.

Damon gazed down at them impassively, "I'll bring her home."

"You really think I would trust you with my family? I'll wait for Stefan."

"Might take a while and the more you argue with me the less likely she is to survive."

Elena ran her hand through her cousin's hair before reluctantly stepping away from her, "If I don't see her by the end of the night I'll –"

Damon scoffed, "What? Sic Saint Stefan on me?"

She shot him a glare before making her way slowly out of the parking lot. Damon let out a bored sigh before looking between the two girls splayed across the ground.

He reached for Faith first, picking her up bridal style as he spoke to Vicki's corpse, "Don't go anywhere."

Faith stirred in his arms, her eyes didn't open but she inhaled deeply as her head burrowed in his neck as she murmured, "Damon?"

Damon looked down at her while he made his way to his car expecting her to be awake but was surprised to find she was still unconscious. He was happy he'd left the top down in his car because it made it easier to place her in the backseat without bumping her against anything. He slid a hand against her cheek and found himself stunned again when she nuzzled against the contact with a sleepy groan.

"You are gonna_ hate_ yourself in the morning."

_**The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress.  
Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest.  
The saints can't help me now, the ropes have been unbound.  
I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallowed ground.**_


	7. Party Mystic Falls Style

Well like promised, a new chapter updated much earlier than usual…it's also longer again. Forgive me?

* * *

Chapter Seven: Party Mystic Falls Style

_**Don't be afraid, I've taken my beating.  
I've shared what I've made.  
I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through.  
I've never been perfect but neither have you.**_

_****_  
Faith sighed as she burrowed further into the pillow below her, tucking the duvet under her arms as she peered over at Elena from beneath her lashes. She'd been lying in her cousins bed for the past two hours; she'd originally come over for breakfast before a concerned Aunt Jenna hustled her up to Elena's room demanding she fix whatever was wrong with her. So far she'd managed to pry about four sentences out of her and all of them had to do with Stefan.

She blew on a piece of hair that had fallen into her face before quietly asking, "Kind of brutal isn't it?"

Elena reluctantly opened her eyes and squinted at the other girl, "What are you talking about?"

"Stefan." She paused taking in Elena's suddenly tear filled eyes and sighed before continuing, "Look I know he's a vampire and that's way off normal but he wasn't the one that attacked Vicki; Damon was. Stefan was just trying to help her."

"I know but Stefan is the reason Damon's here and despite what my heart says, my head is telling me to run far away in the other direction." She reluctantly admitted as depression settled over her features.

"I get it. I just don't like you seeing you so sad because you can't be with the guy you love."

"I'm not in love with –"Elena spluttered unable to even finish her sentence.

Faith rolled her eyes at the extremely weak denial, "Elena, be real."

She gaped for a few more moments before looking away as she muttered, "We can't be together."

Without another word she pulled the covers back over her head and refused to come out despite Faith's both gentle and aggressive coaxing. Faith was moments away from ripping the covers completely from the bed when a knock sounded at the door and Bonnie poked her head in with a small smile.

"Knock, knock. You guys up?"

"Yeah."

"No." Elena groaned at the same time earning her a sharp look from Faith that went unnoticed.

Bonnie entered the room fully and eased herself onto the bed at Elena's side, "Why haven't you called me back?"

"I'm sorry."

Bonnie glanced worryingly at both girls, "Are you gonna stay in there forever?"

Faith prodded the lump under the covers, satisfied when Elena yelped in reply, "I think she's making a real go of it."

"Yeah, I can definitely see that."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here." Elena grumbled in protest as she finally pulled her head from beneath her duvet.

"Move over." Bonnie scooted upwards and around until she could see both girls clearly, "I'm officially worried, what's going on?"

"I'm tired of thinking…of talking."

"Can you make it a one line version so I can at least pretend to be helpful?"

Faith snorted as she pushed herself up to sit fully against the headboard, "You only need a word really – Stefan."

"Stefan and I broke up." Elena clarified, not even bothering to reprimand Faith's tone.

"I'm so sorry, are you okay?" Bonnie shook her head, "Oh, stupid question. I know I've been kinda MIA when you needed me the most. I suck."

Elena didn't bother to deny her claim despite knowing Bonnie would never intentionally abandon her, "You wanna make it up to me? Get my mind off it."

"Just remember you asked for it."

"Ow, watch my feet!" Faith moaned when Bonnie accidently kneed her on her ankle as she clamoured over the bed.

"Opps, sorry."

Both of them traded confused glances as Bonnie picked up scissors and one of Elena's pillows. Faith raised her brows in surprise as the other girl ripped into the pillow sending feathers all over Elena's bed.

Owner of said pillow wasn't impressed with its destruction, "Hey!"

"Be patient." She smiled at them briefly before being serious, "I need to swear you both to secrecy, especially you Elena."

Elena frowned and crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "Why especially me?"

"I'm good at keeping secrets and a way better liar." Faith informed her as she casually twirled a feather between her fingers.

"Look, its kind of been a bad week for that stuff." Elena confessed feeling the burden of keeping Stefan's secret once again.

Faith sensed her tone but tried to keep the situation light so Bonnie wouldn't suspect anything, "See she's untrustworthy, don't show her."

"Seriously, I'm not supposed to be showing you guys this." Bonnie pointed out sternly gaining their full attention.

Elena nodded, "Okay, we swear."

"Okay, there's no windows open right?" She gestured around the room as she asked, "No fan, no air conditioning."

"None, what are you doing?"

"Grams just showed me this and you're gonna love it." She grinned and looked between them "You ready?"

Both of them nodded and then grew astounded when the other girl began to float a feather beneath her fingers. Neither of the cousins knew quite how to react to the little show Bonnie was putting on and so stared blankly at her for a few moments while she returned the lone feather back to the pile on the bed. Soon Bonnie was floating feathers all around them and Faith reached out a tentative finger to touch one, smiling when it shuddered in response. Elena let out a disbelieving laugh as they swirled around her before settling on the bed once more.

"I don't – what?" Faith stuttered unable to grasp the situation quite yet.

Elena was having similar problems, "Bonnie, what's going on?"

"It's true, everything my Grams told me, it's impossible and it's true. I'm a witch."

"We believe you."

"It's weird huh? All this times joking about being physic and I really am a witch." She paused suddenly shy as she asked them, "You don't think I'm a freak now do you?"

"Little bit."

"Faith!" Elena smacked her cousin on the arm before quickly turning to reassure Bonnie, "She's kidding, of course we don't. But I don't understand if your Grams asked you to keep this all a secret why did you tell us?"

"You're two of my best friends; I can't keep secrets from you guys."

Both girls swallowed their guilt at that statement and gave her strained smiles as she gave a happy sigh and bounced down off the bed. She threw them a smile as she walked backwards out the door.

"I gotta go, see you later."

Faith's fake smile fell the second she was gone as she turned to look at Elena, "Well, I feel like crap. How bout you?"

Elena flopped into her bed again and pulled her covers back over her head as she returned to her depressive state.

"That about covers it."

* * *

Faith yelped quietly as she entered The Grill and was immediately slammed into by a girl from her history class. She stumbled back a step or two but recovered quickly with a death glare in the girl's direction which sent her running with a nervous smile on her face. After a quick glance around the room she worried that she was extremely underdressed compared to all the other girls in her jeans, tank and leather jacket. She decided she was most definitely underdressed when Caroline sauntered up to her in a pretty purple dress looking amazing.

"You're here!" Caroline grinned as she pulled the dark haired girl into a hug.

Faith returned it but gave her a quizzical look when they separated, "You told me you'd never speak to me again if I didn't show up."

Caroline waved a dismissive hand as if she had done no such thing before turning them to face the crowd of people partying "Whatever. Isn't it great?"

"Throwing a great party is one of Caroline Forbes many talents." Her mood dropped considerably when she spotted Damon sitting at the bar like he owned the place, "Ugh, what is he doing here?"

Caroline gave her a disapproving look as she nudged her, "Faith, don't be rude. Beside we made up, we're friends now."

"_Why_?" She asked her nose scrunched up in disgust.

Caroline merely smiled before starting to make her way over to him, "Be right back."

Faith rolled her eyes but made no move to stop her friend from approaching him, although she did keep an eye on them but she doubted Damon would do anything to the blonde with so many witnesses about. She smiled and waved at a couple of people she recognised from school but made no move to join them. Instead she headed to one of the high tables nearer the exit so she could slip away unnoticed once she'd grown bored. She was tugging off her jacket to place over the back of her chair when a pretty long haired blonde swept by her, ignoring Damon as he tried to stop her in her tracks as he passed her.

"Buy you a…"

Faith snorted a laugh as they girl flat out ignored him before she could stop and then fought the urge to kick herself when she brought Damon's attention to her. His eyes light up as he stepped up to her and grinned.

"Faith, you made it."

Usually she would play along but she was in no mood to have exhausting banter with him tonight, "Why are you over here?"

"It's a party; I'm here to enjoy myself."

"No, why are you over _here_? Talking to me? Like we're friends and I give a crap about you."

Damon fake gasped and clutched a hand to his chest as if her words had physically hurt him, "Don't be like that, you looked lonely and I've missed you."

She pursed her lips in consideration before shaking her head lightly, "Didn't realise there was anything for you to miss."

Damon nudged her gently in the side and titled his head to catch her eyes, "C'mon, don't tell me you didn't have a a little bit of a good time with me last time we partied."

"No, I did." She admitted and took note of his pleased expression before adding, "Of course then you killed my friend, turning her into a vampire who attacked me. Where is she by the way? Oh right, she's dead."

Damon attempted to twist his face into some semblance of remorse, "And I am deeply sorry about that but hey I did carry you to safety afterwards."

"Yeah, about that. How did I magically heal?"

"Hmm, I just gave you a little taste." He whispered as his eyes dropped down to her lips.

She gasped a little and grew rigid as his palm slide over her forearm keeping her in place as his lips brushed softly against her own. Before she could pull back he was shoved roughly to the side by the blonde that had walked by earlier.

"Damon, stop harassing people."

Damon sneered at her as he straightened out his jacket, "I wasn't harassing her, Faith and I go way back. We're actually friends."

"We're not actually friends." Faith informed the other girl not wanting that to get spread around the party; she could only imagine Caroline and Bonnie's faces.

"I figured as much." The blonde girl shrugged before grinning teasingly at her, "Tequila?"

"I love you." Faith grinned back at her and allowed her to loop her arm through her own.

Damon scoffed and went to snatch back Faith's arm but the blonde tugged her backwards just in time, "You're stealing my girl? Seriously?"

She smiled sweetly back at him as she lead them away, "Bite me."

The blonde girl, now known as Lexi chatted away happily as she pushed them threw the crowd of people. She told her who she was, also a vampire, that she was Stefan's best friend and generally why she was in town and some of the things she liked to do. Faith happily listened finding it nice to talk so freely with another vampire that seemed fun _and_ trustworthy.

Stefan stepped into their path with a nervous smile as he glanced at their still linked arms, "Uh, hi."

Faith grinned and pulled him into a half hug, "Happy birthday!" Catching his puzzled look she explained, "Lexi told me after she saved me from Damon. We've bonded over our mutual annoyance for him."

He relaxed somewhat and chuckled, "That's always a great place to start."

"We should dance." Lexi announced as she grabbed both their hands.

"Oh, I'm game."

"I might just sit this one out." Stefan answered before being yanked by both girls onto the dance floor, "Or not."

He awkwardly began to shuffle from side to side and Faith giggled as she watched him. Lexi rolled her eyes and did a little dance around him as she tried to coax him into any form of movement.

"Okay, I'm gonna need a little more foot movement here. Faith and I can only make you look so good."

He ducked his head but made no real effort to hide his grin, "I'm not really interested in making a fool out of myself."

"C'mon you're not _that_ bad."

"Just do me a favour, tell me if you see Damon with his camera phone."

Faith mock saluted him as she bumped him with her hip, "Roger that."

They danced for a little while before Lexi turned to them with a raised eyebrow, "Shots?"

Faith's eyes light up as she asked, "Tequila?"

"Most definitely."

Stefan shook his head and shot a concerned look at the excited dark haired girl, "I don't think so."

Lexi nudged him as she once again took Faith's hand, "Oh loosen up, killjoy."

Faith plopped down on one of the bar stools as she watched Lexi order their drinks. It was Dave that was serving her and she knew he was one of the few bartenders working that actually checked everyone's IDs.

Sure enough he gave her an unimpressed look, "I'm gonna need to see some ID."

Lexi leaned across the bar and caught his gaze with her own, "No you don't."

"That'll be uh –"

"Free."

"On the house."

Faith nodded more than a little impressed as she picked up two of the five shots there, "I have got to get me some of that."

"I'm sure someone would happily oblige." Lexi slyly replied with a pointed look in her direction.

Faith lowered her glass with a confused frown on her face, "What do you mean?"

Lexi merely grinned before turning to speak to someone behind her, "Oh, the famous Elena."

"Hey, cuz." Faith greeted guiltily, remembering now what Lexi told her had happened this morning with Elena.

"Towel girl." Elena's faced remained blank as she looked between them, "With my cousin."

She grew curious however as she watched Lexi knock back one of her shots, "I didn't know you guys could drink."

"Oh yeah, it helps curb the carvings but makes for a lot of lushy vamps."

"You know I've never seen Stefan drunk. He always seems so …" She floundered for the right word.

"Serious?" Faith offered.

Lexi smiled and added, "Uptight?"

Elena nodded, "Yes, to both but not with you."

"Well that's the benefit of knowing someone for over a hundred years, you can just be yourself."

"Yeah, he can't be himself with me."

"He tried to be." Faith mumbled and then looked away quickly when Elena glared at her.

"Maybe not yet but the first step was him telling you, the rest comes with time."

Elena wondered why she seemed so confident in her answer, "You seem so sure?"

"The love of my life was human; he went through what I imagine you're going through…" She gave Faith the same look she did at the bar before continuing, "About to go through. Denial, anger etc. but at the end of the day, love really did conquer all."

"I'm scared."

"But you're here cause you're crazy about him. I get it ok? What's not to love? Take it from someone who's been around a long time, when it's real you can't walk away." She smiled, patting a suddenly sombre Faith on the shoulder as she went to walk away.

"Hey, Lexi. It was really nice meeting you." Elena called out, halting the pretty vampire's steps.

She smiled at her before turning back to Faith, "We'll talk later."

Elena looked over at her cousin once the other girl had gone, "What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

Several shots later Faith found herself sitting alone at her previous table with her head in her arms as Elena had a heart to heart with Stefan. Caroline was god knows where and she was getting bored. Hell she couldn't even find Lexi amongst the group, although if she was honest she'd given up pretty quickly when she realised she was drunker than she thought. She startled when someone banged something down on her table and so reluctantly opened her eyes only to find Damon's face inches from her own.

She flinched back and shuddered dramatically, "Ugh, it's hideous."

"Ouch, you're a mean drunk."

"I'm not drunk."

Damon stared at her in disbelief before shaking his head, "I've been watching you for the past ten minutes, and you are without a doubt drunk off your ass."

"I'm not slu-slurring." She scowled when her voice chose to betray her at that exact moment, "Damn it."

She sighed forlornly as she reached out to fiddle with his ring, "Damon, what's it like to be in love?"

"Painful, depressing and it eats away at you until you're nothing but an empty shell." He replied bluntly and took a sip of his whiskey.

Faith looked up at him with wide glassy eyes, "That's horrible, why would anyone want that for their entire life?"

"Because what else can we do? Why'd you ask, got a little crush going? You don't have to say who, I know it's me, you just couldn't resist my devilish good looks." He smirked and captured the hand that was playing with his ring, entwining their fingers.

"You are very good looking." She informed him casually and failed to notice his look of surprise at her admittance, "It's just a shame that you're a self-serving psycho who doesn't care about anybody but yourself."

His previous happy face dropped and he frowned at her, "Please, tell me how it is."

She continued on seemingly unaware that she was insulting him, "I would like you, you know? You're fun but you're a dick and you're always trying to bite me."

He shrugged as he tried to appear unaffected by her words, "I'm good at it; instilling fear in people."

"I think you could be so much more." She searched his eyes, "If you weren't –"

"A dick?" He finished with a put upon sigh.

She grinned widely at him as she giggled, "Yeah."

"Alright, someone needs some coffee. Stay there."

"No." She moaned before trying to make a getaway but Damon caught her around the waist and pushed her gently back into her seat.

"Stay." He instructed pointing a stern finger in her face.

She snorted and then smiled sweetly before trying to bite his finger, "Okay, master."

"Don't tempt me."

* * *

Faith had quickly sobered up when the cops had started to storm the Grill, blocking all entrances. Squinting she noticed the Sheriff and two other dragging Lexi to the door. She began to panic and quickly searched the room for anybody to help. She spotted Elena struggling to keep up with Stefan's long strides as he searched for a way out.

She griped her cousins elbow before she could get any further away, "Elena, what the hell?"

Elena startled before realising who was holding her, although she looked impatient as she stared after Stefan, "They know Lexi's a vampire."

"What? How?" She gaped disbelieving that anybody could remotely guess who was or wasn't a vampire just by looking at them, "She hasn't done anything."

"I don't know. Please, just stay here."

"Elena!"

"I'll be back." She promised before running in the direction Stefan had left.

Faith debated following her but the cops had started to guide people out and one was heading in her direction. She allowed herself to be ushered outside and then nervously stood about as she tried to find anybody in the crowd, she'd even settle for finding Damon at this point. Her relief at finally spotting Elena walking towards her was short lived as she noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks.

Elena pulled her into a hug and spoke against her temple, "It was Damon."

Faith pulled back and shook her head in confusion, "Damon told on her, he killed her? Why?"

"Stefan didn't say he just left to go deal with him."

"Deal with him? Like kill him?"

"I think so." Elena sobbed, "For Stefan's sake, I hope not."

_**When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done.  
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed.  
Don't resent me and when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory.  
Leave out all the rest.**_


	8. History

Okay I suck I am aware. I know this has been a really long delay in updating but I could not for the life of me figure out how I wanted this chapter to go at all. I'm still not in love with it but I need it out the way so I can get back to the chapters I'm really into.

I hope this one isn't a complete disaster for you guys. At least it's a long one?

* * *

Chapter Eight: History

_**She told me not to step on the cracks.  
I told her not to fuss and relax.  
Well, her pretty little face stopped me in my tracks but now she sleeps with one eye open.  
That's the price she paid.  
**_

Faith tapped her pen impatiently off the side of her desk as she waited for the bell to ring. She hadn't slept much last night so she found herself ready and at school far too early. She'd briefly thought of going to Elena's before school for breakfast but decided against it when she remembered Elena's previous grumpy attitude over Stefan and Faith just didn't have the energy to help her cousin deal with that right now.

However she gave Elena a smile when she walked into the room just as the bell rang before frowning as Bonnie rushed in behind her, hunched over and a worried frown marring her face. She exchanged a concerned glance with her cousin who shook her head to indicate she didn't know what was wrong. Elena then turned to Bonnie and silently asked if she was okay but only got a confused shrug in reply. Faith took another glance at her friend before turning her attention to the new teacher at the front of the class who had just written his name up on the board.

He pointed at his name as he told them, "Alaric Saltzman. It's a mouthful I know, it doesn't exactly roll of the tongue. Saltzman is of German origins. My family immigrated here in 1755 to Texas; I however was born and raised in Boston. Now the name; Alaric belongs to a very dead great Grandfather that I will never be able to thank enough. You'll probably want to pronounce it Al-ar-ric but its Alaric." He paused and smiled at them all, "So you can call me Ric and I'm your new history teacher."

Faith smirked when Tiffany leaned across her desk to whisper, "Can I call him lover?"

"Not if I get there first."

* * *

"Hey, pretty girl."

Faith grinned as Caroline bounded up to her with a wide smile on her face, "Hey, beautiful."

Caroline giggled and looped her arm through the petite girls as they walked down the hallway, "So you're totally on my side of this whole Bonnie war right?"

"I was not aware it was quite at full out war status but I am your loyal servant."

Caroline nodded and squeezed the other girls arm in thanks knowing that while she was joking around the sentiment was very true. Faith was never afraid to call her on her bullshit but she was still always the first one to step up and defend Caroline and the blonde was entirely thankful for that. Despite being a foursome of best friends, Bonnie and Elena had always been closer than they had with Caroline and so she'd forged a better friendship with Faith instead. Not that it had been a bad thing as Faith had been nothing but loyal all her life, it was one of her finer qualities.

"Thank you. It's not war but I am not being the one to give in. For once she's wrong and I'm right and I deserve an apology."

Faith nodded in compliance, "Roger that." She paused and snuck a look at the blonde out of the corner of her eye, "But if I said you could always go talk to her anyway?"

Caroline frowned and shook her head, "Then I would reply that she knows where to find me."

Faith chose not to comment on that and instead waved at Matt who was walking in their direction, "Hey Mattie."

Caroline smiled awkwardly at him, "Hi."

Matt gave them a nod as he walked by with two of his football buddies, "Hey."

Caroline stopped abruptly jerking Faith to a stop as she rounded on the quarterback, "What is that?"

Matt frowned and glanced at Faith for help who shrugged helplessly in reply, "What's what?"

"That 'hey', that is two 'hey's'. Do you have any other words in your vocabulary?"

"What's wrong with 'Hey'?"

"It reeks of awkward subtext, okay? You spent the night in my bed –"

Faith held up her hands in order to gain their attention, "Whoa, what?"

Caroline pointedly ignored her but did briefly close her eyes in mortification when she remembered the other girl was still there, "There was cuddling and then you snuck out before dawn so you wouldn't have to face me, which might I say is a total lame guy move. I did not appreciate it and now with the 'hey's', seriously? I may have been some pathetic insecure mess after the party but do not mistake that as me being a pushover because I do not let guys mess with my head anymore!"

Matt gaped at her for a moment before calmly explaining, "I heard your mom in the morning and I didn't want you to get in trouble so I went out the window."

"You went out the window? Another lame guy move."

He shook his head in frustration, "Your mom's the Sheriff and as for the 'hey's' I'm pretty sure it's what I've said to you every day since the first grade."

"Oh." Caroline replied quietly realising that he was making a very good point.

"Trying to read something into it? Lame girl move."

Faith watched with raised brows as Matt all but stomped away from them and stated, "Well I feel really embarrassed for you right now."

Caroline groaned and ran a shaking hand through her hair, "God, I am such an idiot. I can't believe I just blurted all of that out."

They fell into a brief silence before Faith had to ask, "He slept in your bed?"

"Shut up."

* * *

Faith narrowed her eyes in on the black clad figure hovering around the school parking lot looking entirely too out of place. With a put upon sign she made her way over to him instead of diverting around to get to her car without being spotted.

"Why are you creeping around a bunch of teenagers?"

Damon shifted around in surprise as he heard her voice before smirking, "Looking for you, I missed you."

She grinned back at him as she started walking again, her smile becoming more genuine when he looked taken aback at her reaction, "I know, right? I am so damn lovable." Her grin faltered in surprise as he tugged her books from her hands and began walking with her towards her car, "Uh, thanks."

"No problem. So what are we doing today?"

She arched a brow and tugged her books back when they reached her car, "_We_ are not doing anything. _I_ am going home."

"You're no fun." He waited until she'd pressed the automatic lock on her key before tugging open the driver's door for her, "Drive safely."

She stopped her descent into the car and eyed him suspiciously, "You're just letting me go? No games, no unfortunate attempts at seducing, nothing?"

"Why? Would you like me to seduce you?" His eyes took on their usual smouldering look as he asked her and she blinked a few times to release herself from his gaze.

"I said unfortunate seducing and no but you never just let me go. What are you up to?"

He smiled innocently in return, "Nothing."

"Damon, no." She warned him knowing that whatever he was up to was never going to be good.

"I'm not going to do anything, I promise." He waited patiently until she was seated before walking backwards with a little wave goodbye, "Off you go, Kitten."

* * *

Having promised to catch dinner with Aunt Jenna and Jeremy after school instead of meeting up with the girls she was now sitting in one of Mystic Grill's booths perving on her new history teacher. Not that she was particularly complaining he was nice enough and fairly easy on the eyes and from what she could tell her Aunt thought the same thing.

"I like a man that can dine alone, quiet strength."

Jeremy looked a little amused as he followed her line of sight before commenting, "I thought you were still on that whole Logan depression thing."

She nodded and picked up a fry to swirl in the ketchup, "Oh, I've sworn off all men forever but that doesn't mean I can't observe them from a safe distance."

"Preaching to the choir." Faith held up her hand for a high five and giggled when she received one not a moment later, nudging Jeremy when she spotted him rolling his eyes at them.

"Gross but I can introduce you."

Jenna shook her head and Faith gaped at her, "Why not? He's hot! If I wasn't his student I would so be flirting right now." She cocked her head to the side as he stretched over to reach for something in his bag allowing for a small peek of skin to poke through in-between his shirt and jeans, "Still might."

Jenna smirked and shook a fry in her face in warning, "Behave." She then turned to Jeremy, "It was nice of him to let you earn some extra credit though, have you picked a topic for it?"

"No, not yet. It's gotta be local and no internet research though."

"Well that's easy you've got all your dad's stuff."

Faith nodded remembering some of the old books she'd stumbled upon when packing up her uncles things, "Oh, the journals right?"

"Yeah."

Jeremy glanced between the two of them in confusion, "Wait, what? What stuff?"

"All the Gilbert's came over on the mayflower stuff, all that family lineage from way back. Your dad really loved all that family history stuff. It's all boxed up in the closet."

Before he could ask anymore he spotted their history teacher making his way towards him and greeted him instead, "Mr Saltzman."

"Jeremy, what's up man?"

They did a little handshake thing that left Faith rolling her eyes which she quickly covered up with a smile when Alaric turned to face her.

"Faith, hey."

"Hi."

Jeremy pointed to his Aunt who until that point had just been staring at them, "This is our Aunt Jenna."

Alaric turned to her and held out his hand, "Alaric Saltzman, it's nice to meet you."

Jenna shook it, her eyes dropping to the table before looking back up with a little smile on her face, "Jeremy was just telling me about his paper, thanks for giving him another chance."

"Oh you know it was my first day I wanted to make a good impression."

Faith snorted having caught the subtle flirting tone of his voice, "Well you most certainly did." She hissed when her Aunt shoved her elbow into her ribs, "Ow."

Jenna's grin faded when she spotted Stefan walking towards their table and greeted him coolly, "Stefan."

"Jenna." Stefan nodded at them in greeting before turning towards his intended target, "Faith, can I talk to you?"

"Sure." She slid out from the booth and followed him over to the darts area, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to check in. How are things with Bonnie –"

"And Elena?" She interrupted with a slightly exasperated tone upon realising that she was going to become a go between for the couple.

Elena had already asked her earlier to check up on Stefan to see how he was coping given that he wouldn't return her calls and now it would appear that Stefan was going to use her to keep tabs on her cousin.

"Yeah, guess I'm not hiding that too well."

"Not really, this whole break up is stupid you know. You belong with – Damon."

"What?" Stefan frowned at her in concern before sighing when he realised Damon was now standing beside them, "I said I would be right back."

Damon shrugged carelessly as he took a sip of his drink, "I got bored."

"So go entertain yourself elsewhere." Faith snapped in no particular mood to be dealing with him tonight.

Bonnie had called her earlier and told her all about her run in with Damon at her car and how he threatened her to give back the necklace that he evidently thought he had a right to. Faith knew it was stupid to take him on his word earlier but she thought that he at least had stopped lying to her about his intentions. Evidently not.

He pressed the hand that held his drink to his chest as if she'd hurt him, "Ouch, why are you pissed at me?"

"Oh, I don't know. Do you not remember what you promised me? About not doing anything at the school today?"

He smiled smugly at her and topped of his glass with the bottle in his other hand, "I didn't."

She rolled her eyes in response, "Oh, so Bonnie just threatened herself did she?"

"I didn't threaten her. " He turned to his brother and nudged him pointedly ignoring Stefan's stern look as he demanded, "Tell her I didn't threaten her."

"Ugh, whatever I am going-Oh, go Aunt Jenna." She trailed off her righteous rant when she spotted her Aunt leaning against the bar chatting to Alaric like she didn't have a care in the world.

Stefan smiled at how quickly her temper had cooled, "You want your Aunt to get together with your teacher?"

She shrugged with a sheepish smile, "He's kinda hot."

"No he's not." Damon grumbled looking incredulous as he looked between Faith and the man at the bar.

"Don't be jealous. One day you'll hit puberty too."

* * *

Faith's mood had brightened considerably since escaping Damon at the Grill and she found herself in high spirits as she let herself into the Gilbert house, quickly making her way upstairs when she spotted the light on in Elena's room.

"Hola, bitch's. The party has finally arrived!" She stopped and took in the panicked faces gaping at her, "What happened?"

Bonnie grunted in annoyance as she knelt on the floor and looked under Elena's bed, "Caroline stole my necklace."

"I didn't take it!" Caroline insisted before growing concerned when Elena stared blankly at the hallway behind her, "What? What happened?"

"I don't know; nothing. Jeremy, are you home?" Elena shook her head as she walked towards the door, peeking her head out sure that she had seen someone walking past.

"Jer's still at the Grill as far as I know."

"Um, guys." Bonnie called to them her voice shaky.

Faith didn't understand anything that was going on at this point and asked no one in particular, "Does anyone want to explain to me what is happening?"

"We contacted –"Caroline started before the bathroom door slammed shut with Bonnie on the other side of it.

Almost immediately terrified screams started and the three of them rushed to the door and attempted to pry it open in order to get Bonnie out.

"Bonnie!"

Elena shoved her shoulder against the door before stepping away and making her way out of her bedroom, "I'll check the hallway."

"Bonnie!"

The screaming stopped as soon as it started and the door swung open to reveal Bonnie standing in the centre of the room with her head in her hands. Nothing looked out of place and Bonnie looked to be physical unharmed so they didn't quite understand what had went on.

Elena took a tentative step into the bathroom, "What happened? Are you okay?"

Bonnie's head raised slowly, her face blank of any kind of emotion, "I'm fine."

Caroline scoffed in disbelief, "Unbelievable you were totally faking it."

"Caroline, c'mon." Elena tried to defend the other girl but she didn't really know what was going on herself so it was hard to put any real effort into it.

"No, she scared the hell out of me."

Faith stepped around the two girls and touched Bonnie's elbow gently before flinching back as the other girl stared back at her unwavering, "Bonnie?"

"I'm fine. Everything's fine."

Faith nodded unsurely, "Why are you talking like a pod person?"

Caroline huffed irritably as she followed them out of the bedroom, "I can't believe I fell for it."

Bonnie ignored her complaining instead making her way swiftly to the top of the stairs, "I must go."

"If she's leaving I'm leaving."

Elena shook her head feeling that something was very wrong and she didn't really want to leave her friends alone, "You guys can't leave."

"Oh, I can. I've had enough freaky fake witch stuff for one night." Caroline announced still under the illusion that Bonnie had conned her for some sort of revenge over the necklace.

Bonnie nodded softly and began descending the stairs, "Thank you for having me. I'll take it from here."

"Where are you going?"

"Back to where it all began."

"Bonnie?" Elena called unsurely not sure what was going on with her friend.

Faith had no such qualms and confidently called out, "Emily."

Immediately the other girl stopped, "I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed."

Without another word Faith took off after the witch, barely managing to avoid getting hit with the door as it slammed behind her.

"Faith!"

* * *

Faith had been following Emily for a good ten minutes and so far the only thing she'd managed to get out of her was that Katherine was trapped in a tomb somewhere and the crystal was the key to getting her out. It wasn't until they were in the middle of the woods that she thought it might be a good time to ask her what she planned to do now that she was in Bonnie's body. She said that she was going to destroy it, not who so she was assuming that her friend was in no danger and that Emily wasn't about to go out and kill someone. Since Damon appeared to want the crystal so badly she came to the conclusion that that was what Emily intended to destroy.

"So what's the plan here? I mean it's a witch talisman so those things must be pretty resilient, right?"

Emily didn't as much as look at her as she continued on her path, "You must leave."

Faith shook her hand and grasped the other woman's arm when she finally came to a stop, "I can help you."

A slight smile appeared on her lips before disappearing again, "Yes but you will not. Not when it comes to him."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll know soon enough." She replied before looking over her shoulder.

"Hello, Emily."

Faith whipped around and spotted Damon making his way out from the trees, "Damon?"

He shot a look in her direction before diverting his attention back onto the witch, "You look different. Thought we had a deal?"

"Things are different now; I need to protect my family."

"I protected your family. You owe me."

"I know. I'm sorry." She replied and Faith could tell that she meant it but that didn't seem to comfort Damon any.

"You're about to be a lot more than that."

Faith screamed when Damon charged Emily but instead of attacking her he found himself pinned to a nearby tree with branches stuck through his chest and stomach. She reached him just as Stefan did and without a word Stefan pulled him from the tree and pushed her lightly in his direction.

"Stay with him."

She immediately swung his arm around her shoulders while her own went around his waist to stablise him before she realised what she was doing. Nevertheless she attempted to pull him upright but found herself hindered when he leant his full body weight against her, his head falling onto her shoulder with a groan of pain.

"Ugh, this is why I feed on people."

She fidgeted uncomfortably at his side, "Please remind me of that while you're inches from my jugular."

He said nothing in return but shifted his head a little further into the crook of her neck and had she not been distracted by the conversation happening in front of her she would have become more nervous than she was.

"Stefan."

"Hello, Emily."

Emily continued to draw a circle around herself as she spoke to the younger vampire, "These people don't deserve this; they should never have to know such evil."

Stefan's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what she was telling him, "What do you mean evil?"

Damon staggered to his feet but kept a good grip on Faith when he began to sway to the side, "Emily I swear to god I will make you regret this."

Emily stared back at him definitely, "I won't let you unleash them into this world."

"Them?"

Faith shared a glance with Stefan before turning back to the witch in her friends body, "As in more vampires? Not just Katherine?"

Stefan turned to his brother in disbelief, "What part of the story did you leave out, Damon?"

"What does it matter?"

He shook his head knowing that getting the truth out of Damon was a lost cause, "Emily, tell me what you did."

"To save her, I had to save them."

"You saved everyone in the church?"

"With one comes all."

Damon loosened his grip on Faith and took several stumbling steps forward until he was right beside Stefan, "I don't care about them, I just want Katherine."

"Damon, stop."

Stefan griped Damon by the lapels of his leather jacket to force his brother to look at him, "I can't believe a single thing that comes out of your mouth, this isn't about love is it? This is about revenge."

"The two aren't mutually exclusive."

"Damon, you can't do this!" Stefan pleaded unwilling to believe that his brother was this far gone.

"Why not? They killed 27 people, 27 people and they called it a war battle."

"27 vampires, Damon! They were vampires. You can't just bring them back."

Damon's features twisted into a sneer, "This town deserves this."

"You're blaming innocent people, people like Faith for something that happened 145 years ago."

Damon's gaze softened some as he looked back at the shell-shocked girl his brother was pointing at before they grew cold again, "There is nothing innocent about these people! Don't think for a second that it won't happen again. They already know too much and they'll burn your little grandwitch right next to us when they find out. Trust me."

"Things are different now."

"Don't do this." Damon's voice cracked when he realised he was fighting a losing battle.

"I can't free them. I won't."

"Please."

Damon watched desperately as she began to chant and before he knew it the crystal that held Katherine's freedom exploded into tiny pieces in the air, "No!"

He was barely aware of Stefan and Faith holding him up so he wouldn't fall to the ground. His vision grew red when the flames died down and the witch was standing unscathed. He shrugged off Faith and Stefan with a harsh jerk of his arm, barely stopping when he realised he'd sent them both hurtling towards the ground before he was rushing the witch and sinking his teeth into her neck. He only stopped when Stefan gripped his shoulder and yanked him away from her.

By this time Elena had made it into the clearing and gasped as she spotted Bonnie falling to the ground unconscious.

"Bonnie!"

Stefan and Faith rushed over to the fallen witch and Stefan pressed his ear against her chest to check for a heartbeat, "She's still breathing. I can save her."

He glanced at them almost hesitantly but Faith had no such problems as she told him, "Do it."

Elena let out a sob of relief as she spotted the wound closing up, "Her neck is healing."

Faith exhaled and stepped back when she realised that her friend was going to survive. She held her wrist tightly to her chest when she registered the throbbing pain in it. She'd landed on it funny when Damon had shoved her off him but she didn't think that it was broken. She refused to acknowledge the soft footfalls behind her until Damon was standing in her eyeline.

"Faith…I -"

She lifted her head and glared at him causing his words to trail off, "Don't."

Knowing that Bonnie was going to be okay she made her way over to Elena's car and struggled to get herself into the backseat. She settled back and watched sadly as Elena tried to comfort Bonnie who looked almost hysterical when she realised she knew remembered nothing that had just happened to her. Eventually the dark haired girl made her way into the backseat with Faith who ignoring the pain in her wrist draped it across her shoulders and tugged her into her side.

"I won't let him hurt you, not again."

Bonnie pressed her face against her shoulder soaking the material with her tears, "I don't understand."

"I know, I don't either."

_**I slipped my hand under her skirt.  
I said don't worry, it's not gonna hurt.  
Oh, my reputation's kinda clouded with dirt.  
That's why you sleep with one eye open.  
That's the price you paid.**_


	9. Truth and Lies

See I don't always take an eternity to update my stories, I promise. Thank you so much everyone who gave feedback on my very belated last chapter.

I hope you all enjoy this one, I actually had two different directions planned for this chapter but this one seemed to go better with the whole story.

* * *

Chapter Nine: Truth and Lies

_**So you can save your petty explanations, I don't have the patience.  
Before you even say it I know.  
You let your pride and your ego, talk slick to me.  
That is not the way I get down and look at how you lose your composure.  
Now let me show you exactly how the breaking point sounds.  
**_

Faith grunted as her bag slipped from her shoulder for the fifth time since she'd got out of the car. Bonnie and Elena watched in amusement as she threw a mini hissy fit and adjusted the buckle of the strap before pulling it back onto her shoulder. They waited until she caught up with them before continuing their journey into the school before the first period bell rang.

Elena's brow furrowed as she watched Matt and Caroline talking at the other end of the hallway, "Did I miss something?"

Faith smirked as she hiked her bag further up her shoulder, "They're halfway to banging."

Bonnie smacked her on the arm for her lack of tact before carefully telling Elena, "They've been … hanging out."

"It's kind of weird don't you think?" Elena asked glancing between the two of them as they shared an awkward glance.

"She needs someone nice like him as opposed to a homicidal vampire like Damon."

Faith nodded in agreement, "Ahem, sister. We should all just stay away from Damon…far far away."

Elena raised a brow as the petite girl trailed off into her own thoughts, "What exactly happened between you and Damon?"

"You mean before he bruised up all my ribs or after he took a huge chunk out of Bon Bon?" Faith tried to divert the attention back to the witch who gave her a knowing glance.

Elena winced and turned to the other girl, "Yeah, how are you doing with all that?"

"Still a little freaked out, Damon attacked me. I could be dead right now but I'm also grateful to Stefan; he saved my life and…Have you seen him?"

Faith cut in front of them to cross to her locker before throwing Elena a mock pouting face, "She's avoiding him."

Elena glared at her before tugging off her scarf with one hand whilst the other opened her own locker, "I'm not avoiding him. He told me he was leaving, for all I know he's already gone."

Bonnie gave her a sympathetic look and tried to assure her, "He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

"Yes he would. He thinks he's protecting me; clean break and all that."

"Maybe he is." Faith threw up her hands in a defensive gesture when both girls gave her scathing looks, "I'm just saying; goodbyes aren't exactly comforting."

Bonnie mentally agreed with her but choose not to say so to Elena and instead asked, "So what are you gonna do?"

Elena shrugged in reply, "What am I supposed to do? I already begged him not to go, if I ask again I'm being selfish. It is what it is."

"Well maybe it's for the best."

Faith winced, "Why would you say that?"

Elena stopped in her tracks an incredulous look on her face, "What? Why?"

"Well what could have future could you have had with him if he'd stayed?" Bonnie defended herself.

Elena was stopped from answering when one of the banners in the hallway floated down in front of them, the corner stabbing into Faith's eye causing her to curse and grip the paper tightly in her hand. Elena tugged the banner off her and noticed it read 'The Promise Your Future'.

She turned to Bonnie for an explanation, "Did you?"

Bonnie was a little amazed at the timing of it herself, "No, I swear."

Elena let out an aggravated huff and hit the banner out of her way as she stormed down the hallway to her class. Faith turned to Bonnie, one of her hands still pressed against her watering eye.

"Did you?"

Bonnie scowled at her, "You know I didn't." She paused and winced when she got a good look at the other girl's eye, "You need to get that looked it."

Faith pouted but allowed herself to get steered down the hallway to the nurse's office, "The nurse scares me."

* * *

Faith gazed around the abandoned area and shuddered slightly when the Gilbert vampire compass spun around before staying pointed in one direction. With a sigh she turned her attention back to the phone in her other hand and spoke to Damon on the other end who'd been saying her name continuously for the past two minutes but she'd chosen to ignore him in favor of watching the compass.

"Why am I doing this?"

"Because I asked you to and you love me."

Faith could actually picture his smug smile as he spoke and replied, "I think you're seriously over estimating the depths of my feelings for you. I'm doing this so you'll leave Caroline alone."

"So you admit you have feelings for me?"

"Damon! Stop being annoying." Faith resisted the urge to stomp her foot in annoyance.

"Relax; I'll be there in a second." Without another word he hung up the phone.

She rolled her eyes and muttered mockingly under her breath, "Relax, I'll be there in a second. Stupid vampire-" She turned and gasped when she came face to face with Damon, "Not cool!"

He snickered and tugged the compass from her lax fingers, "You can give me that now."

"Why did you need me to do this?"

He raised a brow at her annoyance, "I didn't. I asked Caroline but you got jealous and needed to come help me yourself."

She set her hands on her hips and pursed her lips in anger, "Because I was going to leave you alone with Caroline. She's not your pet, Damon!"

"Oh, don't get pouty. Now off you go."

She gaped at his shooing motion and stomped after him when he turned his back and headed into the warehouse behind them.

"Who are you looking for anyway?"

Damon ignored her as he listened carefully outside the door before very slowly opening it. He then made a big deal about stepping to the side and letting her walk under his outstretched arm before following her and letting the door close with a quiet click. She near jumped out of her skin when a cool hand slipped around her own and struggled to free herself before Damon hissed at her to stop it. She settled quickly when a noise sounded off to the left and found herself clutching Damon's hand tighter in response. She let Damon lead her as she could barely see through the darkness which was why she flinched back with a scream of fright as a gun sounded several times and Damon dropped to the ground with a groan of pain. She went to run back in the direction of the door but instead came face to face with Logan Fell who smiled back at her.

"Faith! You look great."

She whimpered when he griped her arm and began dragging her back to where Damon lay, "Logan? You're a vampire?"

Instead of answering her he threw her to the ground where she fell against Damon's legs who hissed in pain as she did so but managed to wrap an arm around her waist to tuck her behind him. His protection did little to shield her though as Logan began to circle them, the gun still gripped tightly in his hand.

"I have tons of these wooden bullets so nothing funky."

Damon groaned and pulled himself up into a sitting position very aware of Faith pressing herself into his back, her hands clutching his shirt, "You don't wanna do this, trust me."

Logan simply lifted his gun in response and shot him again in the arm, "That's what you get."

Damon dug his fingers into the wound to pull the bullet out as he asked, "For what?"

"You made me like this."

Faith gasped quietly at this, "Damon turned you into a vampire?"

Damon shook his head at her, "I killed him." He then turned his attention back to Logan, "I didn't turn you."

"See I know what you and your brother are." He began playing with one of the wooden bullets between his fingers, "You see I've been watching you. I knew you'd show up here and I'm glad you did because I have some questions."

Damon sneered briefly in response, "Me first. Who turned you?"

"How should I know!"

"You didn't notice anybody given you any blood lately?" Faith asked incredulous because surely the man hadn't been compelled if he was a part of the council.

He scowled and leaned over Damon's shoulder to get a better look at her, "Last thing I remember was me about to stake his brother and then he killed me. That's it! Until I wake up in the ground behind a used car dealership on highway 4." He moved back to get a good look at Damon who was still struggling with his bullets, "Someone buried me."

"It happens."

"You bit me. It had to be you."

Damon scoffed, "You have to vampire blood in your system when you die. I didn't do that. Some other vampire must have found you; gave you their blood."

Damon fell back against Faith in exhaustion, his head coming to rest against her chest and she grew worried at how much paler he looked already. Wriggling she settled his between her legs, keeping them bent so should Logan make a move she could try and shove Damon off her and out of the way. She looked around them frantically for any type of weapon she could use to get them out of the warehouse and into the sun.

Logan failed to notice Faith's preoccupation as he asked, "Who?"

"That's what I wanna know."

"Dude, it's not like the welcome wagon was waiting with a blood cake and handbook!" He grouched as he waved the gun about, "It's been a learn as you go process. You know one minute I'm a small town on the rise news guy and the next thing I know I can't get in my house because my foot won't go through the door."

Faith winced at that, "Oh, you need to be invited in."

He smiled back falsely at her, "I know I live alone."

Damon made a sympathetic sound before letting out a little chuckle, "Aw, that sucks."

"So now I'm at a motel; watching paint review, eating everything in sight including housekeeping."

"Could be worse."

Faith tightened her grip on Damon when Logan's face darkened in anger and hissed in his ear, "You are not helping right now."

Logan's hand began to shake as he worked himself up into a frenzy, "I'll I can think about is blood and killing people, I can't stop killing people. I keep killing and I like it. I'm conflicted."

"Welcome to the club." He then paused as something occurred to him, "Wait a minute, the cops only found one body."

"I left one, I was tired. I've been hiding the rest of them, they're right back there. They're just piling up."

Faith grimaced, "Ew."

"You're kidding."

Logan seemed to drain of all energy after his big revelation and settled down on a step, "Why am I so overly emotional? All I can think about is my ex-girlfriend, all I wanna do is be with her and bite her and stuff."

"Well you probably love her and everything that you felt before will probably be magnified now and you're gonna need to learn how to control that."

Faith nodded her head frantically, "Yeah, lock that crap down. There will be no biting of my aunt!"

Logan rolled his eyes at her before perking up, "What about walking in the sun? I'm a morning person. You can walk in the sun, which by the way is pretty cool. The council will never suspect you, that's not in the journals."

"The journals?"

"The Founder journals?" Faith asked and shared a confused glance with Damon.

"Yeah, the founding fathers passed down journals to their kids. C'mon man, you gotta tell me. How can you walk around in the sun?"

Damon hesitated and instead countered with, "Who turned you?"

"How do you walk in the sun?"

"Who turned you?"

Logan jabbed a finger in their direction, "You know I've been really nice so far but I will kill you." He stopped and looked at the dark haired girl with them, "Or better yet I'll eat her."

"Then you'll never know and I'll give you before you could take a step." He stumbled to his feet with Faith's help making sure she was still firmly behind him, "You're not answering my question."

Logan leveled the gun at his chest as he too rose to his feet, "You first."

"Seems we're at an impasse then doesn't it?"

"I have things to do…people to kill. I guess I'll need a little head start."

He shot off four rounds, three of them making their way into Damon's chest and stomach causing him to fall back onto the floor. The other bullet had grazed him and lodged itself into Faith's side. She screamed in pain and quickly gripped her side to try and stop some of the blood flow. It didn't help and she watched morbidly as the blood oozed out from between her fingers before her vision started to go black and she crumbled to the floor.

* * *

The next time she woke she was laying on something decidedly softer than a warehouse floor. Her eyes fluttered open and squinted into the light before she spotted Damon furiously ripping off his bloodied shirt as he ranted into the phone.

"Well, I'll be right there."

He snapped the phone closed harsher than strictly necessary before pulling on a new shirt. Faith attempted to sit up but ended up yelping in pain as her ribs protested loudly to the movement. Her yelp caught Damon's attention who immediately abandoned buttoning his shirt and made his way to her side.

He pressed a hand gently to her injured side to ease her back into her previous position, "Hey, I haven't healed you yet, you wouldn't drink my blood when you were out."

She shook her head disgusted at the thought of ingesting his blood, "I don't want it."

Damon started to argue but took one look at her face and reconsidered, "Fine, but you have to let me see it so I can wrap it."

"Fine."

She tensed as he carefully pushed up her tank top up to the edges of her bra but then grew confused at the look on his face before coming to a realization as his fingers brushed softly against her ribs far away from her bullet wound.

"Was that when I-"

"Swatted me out your way to try and kill my friend?" She interrupted, "Yeah."

He swiftly brought his wrist up to his mouth and bit into the skin there and then held out it out for her to take, "Take it."

"I said I don't-"She choked when he thrust his wrist onto her mouth anyway, his fingers pinching her nose so she was forced to swallow down the mouthful of blood before she could wrench herself away from him.

"Why would you do that? I said I didn't want it!"

Damon shrugged unconcerned, "Deal with it."

Faith scoffed in disbelief and tried to remain indignant even as her body grew sleepy from his blood causing her to slump back onto the pillows, "Feeding me your blood doesn't make up for what you did."

Damon was silent for a few moments before quietly replying, "I know." He then kissed her on the forehead as he moved off the bed, "Sweet dreams."

* * *

A few hours later Faith let out a satisfied moan as she stretched along the bed before remembering that she was in Damon's room and sat up with a gasp. Noting that he was nowhere to be found she let out a sigh of relief and decided that she should get a move on if she wanted to continue to avoid him. Spying her shoes by the door she slipped them on, grabbing her jacket from the door handle as she did so and made her way out of the room. She was sure to be quiet in case he was somewhere downstairs, wincing when the front door let out a look creak as she opened it. Stepping outside she collided with someone else standing on the porch.

She frowned as she spotted Elena frantically digging in her jacket pockets with tears streaming down her face, "Hey, what's going on?"

Elena jerked back from her before realizing it was her cousin and threw herself into her arms with a sob, "Please drive me home. Please."

Faith lay a comforting hand on her back as she pried the keys from Elena's fingers, "Okay."

She kept a wary eye on her cousin as she climbed into the passenger seat before she pulled out of the Salvatore driveway. She waited until they were a good few miles away from the house before broaching the subject of what had Elena so distressed

"You wanna tell me what happened?"

"I look like her, I look like Katherine!"

Faith whipped her head around to stare at the other girl, "What?"

Elena opened her mouth to respond before gasping as she pointed in front of them, "Watch out!"

Faith tried to swerve the car to try and avoid the man in the middle of the road but they crashed into him anyway and then the car flipped from the impact before rolling down several more times. She threw out an arm against Elena's chest to try and stop the other girl from jerking forward but they both did anyway, Faith smashing her head against the metal frame whilst Elena hit the side of the car hard knocking her out.

Faith had no such luck of passing out as she whimpered and tried to hold back tears and a scream from the pain. A cracking sound filled the silence causing her to look out of her smashed up window the best she could from hanging upside down and watched horrified as the man they'd hit straightened out his broken bones and was now making his way towards the car. This time Faith couldn't hold back her scream.

_**What is it you want me to tell you?  
I am not the failure.  
I would rather live and let be but you came with the right kind of threat to push me to let you.  
No, you can't intimidate me, you disrespect me so clearly.  
Now you better hear me, that is not the way it goes down.**_


	10. Letting Loose

Thanks so much guys, love all the reviews and PM's I've had from you all.

I actually wrote a version of this chapter that had Elena come with them because I actually liked this episode as a Delena one but in the long run of the story (i.e the drama to come in later chapters) it needed to be a Damon/Faith only moment.

* * *

Chapter 10: Letting loose

_**I wanna watch you undress. I wanna watch you glow  
Let your hair down all around, cover us both.  
You come in a wave, we crash and we roll.  
You surround me, pull me, drown me, swallow me whole.**_

Faith woke with a sharp gasp before whimpering as pain shot through her chest. With a wince she looked over and saw Elena passed out in the passenger seat, blood smeared across her forehead and her breathing shallow and jerky. Shuffling noises brought her attention away from her cousin and to the man she'd hit on the road who was slowly getting back up, the cracking of bones echoing in the silence. She started to struggle with her seatbelt when she realised he was approaching the car.

She shot a frantic look at her cousin realising both of them were stuck, "Elena!"

Elena's eyes fluttered open for a moment before she became still again. A scream lodged itself in her throat when she spotted dark boots inches from her before they disappeared from her sight and Damon's face took their place.

She whimpered quietly in relief, "Damon."

"How you two doing in there? You look stuck." He remarked as he took in their positions before standing up to wrench the frame of the car up.

"You need to get Elena s-she's passed out." She stuttered as she felt a panic attack coming on, "Is she breathing?"

Damon came back into view, "Shh, shh. I'm gonna get you out and then I'm gonna come back for Elena."

Faith shook her head as best she could, "No, Elena first."

Damon considered it a moment as he stared back at her resolved face before reluctantly nodding, "Alright but I need you to stay still, okay?"

"Okay."

She vaguely heard Elena murmur something to Damon as he pulled her gently from the car but she couldn't hear it over her heart pounding frantically in her ears. She was worried that the man, who she was assuming was a vampire, would come back. Damon returned after a few minutes and crouched down beside her head.

"Okay, I need you to put your hands on the roof." He waited until she did it before gripping the seatbelt that held her in place and asked her, "Ready?"

She nodded shakily, "Yeah."

She yelped as she tumbled out of her seat but Damon caught her safely before she could do anymore damage and lifted her out and into his arms. She groaned and dropped her head onto his shoulder as the adrenaline faded from her and she became aware of how much pain she was in.

"You okay? Can you stand?"

She tried to gurgle out some type of response but couldn't manage to form actual words. Damon frowned in concern and tried to set her on her feet, catching her before she crumpled to the ground. He slid a hand under her shirt at the small of her back while the other cupped her neck, his thumb rubbing against her cheekbone to try and get her attention.

Her eyes slowly opened and she stared at him with a frown marring her face before asking, "Were you using me?"

Before he could ask what she meant she fainted. He took a quick look around before hefting her back into his arms and started walking towards his car. He placed her beside Elena in the backseat before looking between the two of them.

"What am I gonna do with the both of you?"

* * *

Faith let out a sleepy moan and snuggled further into the coolness beneath her cheek before realising that her pillow was moving. Startled she shot up into a sitting and instantly regretted it as pain shot through her causing her to grip her neck as she jerked it.

"Morning, Beautiful."

She pressed her free hand against Damon's thigh where it had been resting to shove herself away from him and against the car door, "What the hell?" She paused and looked in the back seat before looking at Damon with wide eyes, "Where's Elena?"

"On the side of the road." He caught the look on her face and rolled his eyes, "Relax, I called my self-suffering brother before we took off."

She gave him an unimpressed look before looking out the window for a tell-tale sign of where they were, "And where did we take off to?"

"Georgia."

"Seriously?"

He smirked at her and nodded, "Seriously." His face then went sombre, "You're lucky you know? What with you having vampire blood in your system and all."

"Am I dead?" She griped his arm when he didn't answer her, panic and hysteria rising in her voice, "Damon, am I turning into a vampire?"

He remained silent for a few more seconds before bursting into laughter, "Relax, you're fine and perfectly human."

She pulled her hand back and crossed her arms tightly across her chest as she demanded, "Pull the car over."

He groaned in annoyance, "It was just a joke."

"Seriously, pull the car over, Damon!"

"You were so much more fun when you were unconscious."

Faith opened the car door as soon as the car rolled to a stop. She went to stomp away when her vision blurred and she swayed on her feet. She would have fallen if Damon hadn't wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her back into his chest. She allowed herself to lean on him for a minute before trying to struggle out his arms. He held tight and pressed his cheek against her neck until she settled.

"It was a joke."

Her mouth settled into a thin line as she glared ahead of her, "Not a very funny one."

"Depends on who you ask." He grunted as her foot slammed down onto his and then relented, "Okay, I'm sorry."

She hid a smile when he all but spat the words out as if they'd left a bitter taste in his mouth, "How sorry?"

He spun her around but kept an arm around her waist as he stared down at her, "Don't push it."

"Am I gonna be safe with you?"

"There's nowhere safer." He assured her as he twirled a piece of her hair around his finger.

She raised a brow, "And you promise not to compel me?"

"I promise."

"Can I trust you?"

He stared at her for a moment before letting her go and nudged her towards the open car door, "Get in the car."

With a put upon sigh she decided that she should just take what she could get with him and got into the car pointedly ignoring his smug grin as she did so. They continued the last half an hour of the journey in silence before they pulled up in front of a Bar that looked similar to the Mystic Grill. She huffed out an impatient breath when she spotted Damon already making his way up to the entrance and quickly got out the car to catch up with him.

"You're aware that I'm not legal right? They're not gonna let me in."

He shrugged carelessly and gripped her hand to pull her along behind him, "Sure they will."

Moments after entering the bar the tall woman behind the bar did a double take at them before grinning widely.

"No, no it can't be. Damon? My honey pie."

She then hopped over the bar and all but plastered herself to Damon's front. If she wasn't so grossed out by the two of them making out Faith would have found their height difference more than a little comical.

"Oh, gross."

Damon parted from the mystery woman with a wet smack before grinning at the petite girl at his side, "Don't be jealous."

"Hardly." Faith replied with a disturbed grimace on her face before turning to the woman with a serious expression, "You should really disinfect your mouth."

The other woman grinned and looked knowingly at Damon, "Feisty. Bet she keeps you on your toes."

Without waiting for his reply she led them over to the bar where she slid a shot to each of them before calling for everybody's attentions in the bar.

"Listen up everybody; here's to the man that broke my heart, crushed my soul, destroyed my life and ruined any and all chances of happiness." She raised her glass in mock cheers, "Drink up."

Faith grinned at Damon's sour expression as she stated, "You are such a catch." She slapped his hand when he tried to take her shot off her in retaliation and quickly drank it, "Hands off."

Faith startled when the woman now known as Bree asked, "So how did he rope you in?"

Faith shook her head in response, "I am in no way roped in."

"Oh honey if you're not roped, you're whipped."

"What is this bondage 101?" She ignored Damon's snicker and asked, "How did you two meet?"

Damon shrugged, "College."

"You went to college?"

"I've been on a college campus, yes." Damon stated trying not to feel put out when she remained sceptical.

"About 20 years ago when I was a sweet young freshman I met this beautiful man and I fell in love. Then he told me about his little secret; made me love him even more. See I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to tell somebody."

"She's a witch." Damon mocked whispered.

Bree's expression softened somewhat when she gazed back at him, "Changed my world you know."

"I rocked your world."

She grinned, "He is good in the sack ain't he?"

"I wouldn't know."

Bree looked surprised for a second before nudging Damon, "You should fix that."

Damon smirked and let his hand rest on Faith's knee, "That's what I keep saying."

"But then again he's mostly just a walkaway Joe." Bree said deadpan, "So, what is it that you want?"

* * *

"So does this mean Elena's related to Katherine? Wait, vampires can't have kids right? Cause that would be so wrong."

Damon shook his head in agreement, "Vampires can't procreate but we sure love to try." She shot him an unimpressed look so he elaborated, "No, if Elena was somehow related to Katherine that would mean she had a baby before she was turned."

Faith grimaced, "So what you and Stefan thought you could just use Elena to replace her?"

Damon squinted in confusion, "Me? Stefan's the one dating her." He paused to leer at her, "My interests lie elsewhere."

Faith let loose a bitter chuckle, "Yeah, I'm sure. You just happen to be sniffing around the cousin of a girl that looks exactly like your long lost love. I'm not an idiot, Damon."

"I've never lied to you." He pointed out seriously before glancing at her plate, "Can I have your pickles?"

She slapped his hand but he still managed to steal one of her pickles, "How can you even eat? You're dead."

"As long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system; my body functions pretty normally."

Faith smiled before looking at him for a few moments, "This nice act, our _friendship_, was any of it real?"

He leaned down into her personal space as he replied, "Like I said I've never lied to you."

Faith jerked back when two beers were set down in front of them, her nose wrinkled in disgust as she peered at the beer before looking up at Bree, "Don't you have any vodka or something?"

"Aren't you too little to handle spirits?"

Faith gaped at Damon, "Excuse you; I could drink you under the table. In fact I could drink any of these fine people under the table, I'm the reigning shots queen back home you know."

Damon snorted, "Hardly competition there, Princess."

She slapped a hand down on the counter attracting the attention of Bree and a couple seated next to them at the bar, "Round of shots, Bree. I am on a mission to prove a point here."

Twenty minutes later Bree set down the sixth round of tequila shots to the customers around the bar including another for herself with a fond smile at the petite brunette who eagerly snatched up her shot.

"Ready?" She waited until they were all watching her expectedly, "Go!"

Faith shot hers back without a wince and slapped the glass back on the bar with a triumphant grin before turning to Damon with a mock pout on her face.

"Do you need a bib?"

He wiped the excess liquid from his chin with his knuckles as he turned to her, "Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol."

She giggled, "Whatever." She turned to their new found friends and asked, "Alright who's next?"

The blonde woman that was with them looked at her in disbelief as she choked back the bile rising in the back of her throat, "Honey, you should be on the floor."

Faith grinned at her before picking up the shot that Bree had just slide over to her and looked at Damon who sighed and lifted up his own and took it with a wince, rolling his eyes when he noticed Faith had already set her own empty shot glass on the bar. Faith grimaced when someone bumped into her from behind and spilled warm sticky beer down her arm. She pressed her hand against Damon's shoulder and shoved herself off her stool and informed Damon she was going to wash it off.

Now standing upright in the bathroom Faith could feel the alcohol hitting her hard, her lips were tingling and her eyes were slightly glassy but she knew she would sober up if she didn't drink anymore. She was tipsy on the edge of becoming drunk and knew she had to slow down. She wet a couple of paper towels and dabbed them against her arm until it wasn't sticky any more.

"You okay?"

She jumped at the voice before relaxing when she realised it was Damon; she tsked at him in disapproval as she turned to face him, "You know this is the little girl's room?"

He shrugged unconcerned and took a step closer to her, shoving her hair over her shoulder so it wasn't sticking to the still wet part of her arm, "I locked the door."

Faith was a little flustered at the intensity of his gaze as he trailed his fingertips down her arm until he linked them with her own. Before she was even aware of her own actions she was leaning on her tip toes with her lips pressed against his. She'd barely even touched him before he was responding, his free hand delving into her hair, while the other detangled their hands and gripped her hip instead to pull her tighter into his body. Faith couldn't even really blame the alcohol on her actions knowing that she'd been wondering for a while what kissing Damon would feel like, she could only say that it had given her the confidence boost to go for it. She pushed her hands under his leather jacket at the shoulders and shoved it off. Their mouths detached with a sharp gasp as Damon slide his hands around her hips to grip her under her butt and lift her onto the counter. Faith tugged at the hair at the back of his neck to bring his mouth back to hers, her teeth sinking into the soft plump flesh of his bottom lip before sucking into her mouth causing him to pull her hips sharply against his own while he began to push up her shirt. The piercing sound of a cell phone cut through the haze of lust and Faith pulled away to tug it from her pocket to see who was calling. Damon ignored the interruption and kissed along her jawline and down her neck.

Faith was caught between a moan at the sensation and a grimace when she realised it was Jenna calling her, "Its Jenna."

Damon nipped at the delicate skin of her throat with blunt teeth as he murmured, "Who cares?"

She pushed him away feebly words failing her for a moment when she took in his reddened lips and mused hair before she tried to slide herself down his body so she was firmly back on the floor, he didn't move an inch and so she was all too aware of what their make out session had done to him.

She resisted the urge to dive back into another kiss and blinked as she realised her fingers had tucked themselves into the waistband of his jeans, "I'll be two minutes."

Damon pulled her into a short but firm kiss before he let her go, "Don't make me come looking for you."

"Hello?"

Faith winced as Jenna's voice shouted shrilly through the phone, "Faith, where the hell are you? Elena was in a car accident and when I came to tell you, you were nowhere to be found and now Elena's telling me you're out of town helping out a friend?!"

"Jenna, I am so sorry. It was totally last minute and I didn't even think I would be gone that long." She explained as she pushed her way through bar and out the door.

She tripped over as soon as stepped outside and her phone clattered to the ground as she caught herself from face planting against the railing. She pressed a hand against her thudding heart and lifted her phone back up and nervously waited for Jenna's reply. The next thing she knew a hand was clamped over her mouth and she was dragged backwards away from the door.

* * *

Faith shuffled along the metal beam that she'd been shoved on to and peered around in the dark to see if there was an easy way for her to get down without making it totally obvious to the vampire who'd kidnapped her. Her eyes grew wide when she spotted Damon making his way over to her.

"Damon, no!"

He looked up at her in confusion before dropping to the ground and groaning in pain as he was struck repeatedly in the legs with a metal pole, "What the hell?"

Faith yelped as she lost her footing in her haste to get to him before righting herself and making her way over to the enraged vampire who by this point was pouring petrol over Damon.

Damon struggled to sit up as he asked, "Who are you?"

The other vampire shook his head in disbelief, "That's perfect, you have no idea."

Faith frowned in confusion, "What are you talking about? What did he do to you?"

He turned to her, misery clearly written across his features, "He killed my girlfriend." He then turned back to Damon and poured the remaining petrol over him as he asked, "What did she do to you?"

Damon had no idea who he was talking about but ventured a guess, "Nothing."

"I don't understand."

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan and Damon killed her."

Faith's mouth dropped open in surprise, "Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend? She said you were human."

"I was but if you wanna be with someone forever you have to live forever."

Her eyes locked with Damon who shook his head at her but Faith wasn't about to walk away and let him get set on fire, "She loved you! So much and she was good, which means you're good too. She wouldn't have wanted you to do this; she wouldn't have wanted you to become him."

Faith grew desperate when he pulled Damon to his feet, "Please!" She relaxed when he threw him hard against the wall instead.

"Thank you."

"It wasn't for you." He shook his head, "He'll destroy you."

* * *

"So why did you bring me and not Elena with you?"

He graced her with a lopsided smile as his eyes flickered between her and the road, "You should give yourself more credit, Faith. You can be _very_ fun."

She snorted at the emphasis, "Seriously? I figured having Elena here would be like a dream come true for you. Don't lie and say you're not interested in her in the slightest."

"Maybe she isn't the only Gilbert woman I'm interested in."

She ignored that comment and stated, "I saved your life you know?"

He seemed surprised she said it, "I know."

"I intend to collect on that at some point."

He glanced at her and smiled when he noticed she'd leaned her head back and closed her eyes, his gaze softened as he stared at her before he turned his attention back to the road, "I look forward to it."

_**You pull me in close. You buckle my knees.**__**  
I shake and I shiver just to feel you breathe.**__**  
You trace my lines, you trace your lines, stirring my soul.**__**  
Shoot sparks at the heart of the world and I watch it explode.**_


	11. Of Decade Dances

Okay I know it has been a while but my Gran was really ill over the festive period and this is her just getting out of hospital and feeling better so it's the first chance I've had to update. I have this chapter and half of the next one wrote so you won't have to wait too long for the next update.

I hope you are all still interested.

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Of Decade Dances

_**Intrigues me with every move til' I'm breathless, I'm helpless, can't keep my cool.  
Steals my heart when he takes my hand and we dance, to the rhythm of the band.  
I feel his fingertips, grip my hips and I slip as we dip into a rare bliss.**_

"Oh, my god! I am so bored right now."

Faith huffed as she tossed a book down onto the ever growing pile. She shifted her eyes towards Damon who was frowning heavily as he read through one of the books in his hands before tossing it carelessly behind him with an annoyed grunt. She cleared her throat lightly to grab his attention before sighing irritably when he ignored her so she picked up her previously discarded book and threw it at him. It bounced off the back of his head sharply and she had to stifle a giggle when he noticeably flinched from the hit. He closed his book with a sharp snap and slowly turned to face her.

He smiled tightly at her, "What?"

"I'm bored. You dragged me outta bed to help you find a book…a book that you won't tell me about by the way. It sort of makes it difficult for me to help you find it. I'm missing school for this; I don't even know _why_ I'm doing this."

He conceded her point with a slight nod as he walked the short distance to her chair; crouching down in front of her legs he dumped another pile of books on her lap.

"You're doing it because I asked…and you care about me."

She scoffed loudly and then squirmed visibly uncomfortable when he continued to stare at her with the most serious expression on his face she'd ever seen from him. She rolled her eyes at herself before planting her hand flat on his face and shoving him over. He swatted half-heartedly at her legs before returning to his previous task at the book shelves.

She perked up with a smile when she spotted Stefan walking into the room, "Hey, stud. You back from Elena's already?"

He graced her with a small smile, "Hey, Faith." He then gestured between himself and Damon, "You mind giving me and Damon a minute?"

She raised a brow when she caught the dark look Damon was throwing Stefan and awkwardly clamored up from her chair, "Uh, yeah. I'll catch you guys later."

Faith startled when Damon's arm shot out and tugged her into his side as she passed him on her way to the door. He leaned down slowly and pressed a kiss to her cheek although his eyes remained on Stefan who by this point had clenched his hands into fists.

Damon smirked at the reaction before gently shoving her forward as he promised, "See you later."

* * *

Faith screwed up her face in disgust as she tugged at her pink dress. She fiddled with the hemline for another minute before giving up. She dropped down heavily on the edge of Elena's bed to put on her shoes. Elena was in her bathroom fixing her hair and Faith seriously contemplated escaping out of the window so she didn't need to go out in public dressed like she was. She was not a fan of this era of clothing and she wasn't impressed that Elena was getting away with wearing jeans and she was forced into a dress. Caught up in her thoughts she barely registered her name being called but she mostly definitely heard Elena scream from downstairs. Leaping to her feet she dashed down the stairs, barely catching herself from face planting on the ground. She was immediately shoved into the wall once she reached the bottom as someone dashed past her at an unnaturally fast speed.

She turned to face Elena and the newly arrived Stefan with wide eyes, "What the hell?"

Stefan parted from Elena with a deep frown on his face, "It was another vampire."

"Yeah, I got that. Why was he here?" She gasped in surprised when her phone vibrated in her hand unaware that she'd even brought it with her. She was a little annoyed at the relief she felt when Damon's name appeared on caller id, "Damon."

"Hello, beautiful. Fancy ditching the dance to help your best friend?"

She locked eyes with Stefan for a moment who nodded before replying, "We were just attacked by a vampire. Get here please."

The last word was barely out her mouth before the door opened. Elena jumped still visibly shaken up after her attack before relaxing when she realized it was just Damon. Her relief didn't last long when he locked eyes with Faith and stayed that way before eventually looking away. She didn't like how close he was getting to her cousin at all.

Damon walked over to them as Elena and Stefan took a seat on the couch, "How did he get in?"

Elena took a nervous breath before answering, "He was invited in."

Stefan squeezed her knee in comfort as he explained, "We think he posed as a pizza delivery guy last night."

Faith rubbed her arm which was still stinging from hitting the wall, "I'm never ordering pizza again."

Damon nodded with a slightly impressed look on his face, "Well he gets points for that. Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, he was too busy trying to kill me."

Faith would have snickered at the amount of sass that was in Elena's tone but she knew her cousin was just putting on a front so she settled for slapping Damon on the arm who in turn shot her a confused look. She mouthed at him to behave and he rolled his eyes.

Stefan held out his hand for a moment to recapture his brothers attention as he asked, "You have no idea who this is?"

"No." Damon grew annoyed at the unconvinced nod Stefan gave him, "Don't look at me like that. I told you we had company."

"You think there's more than one?"

"We dunno."

Faith snorted and tried to take a seat on the edge of the couch only for Damon to sit there instead with a smirk on his face. He patted his knee for her to lean against as she crossed her arms with an unimpressed look on her face and tried to sit step around him only for him to stretch out his legs blocking her way. Stefan caught the exchange and grew even more worried about their relationship when Faith gave up and draped her crossed arms over the back of Damon's shoulders so she was leaning over him to get a view of the couple.

He cleared his throat lightly to get back their attention, "Damon, he was invited in."

"Then we go get him tonight." He peeked at Faith before turning towards Elena, "You up for it?"

Elena gave a barely there nod, "What do I have to do?"

"Let your boyfriend take you to the dance, we'll see who shows up. I'll do Faith the honor of being her date."

He swatted her thigh when he heard her let out a little 'ew' before reminding the couple, "Until we get him this house isn't safe for anyone. It's worth a shot."

"I'll do it. I'll be with the two of you I'll be safe."

"Offended."

"And Faith; I'll be with the three of you." Elena corrected before giving a tiny smile, "You're so needy."

* * *

"My god, as if the clothes weren't lame enough now I have to put up with tacky decorations and crap music?"

Damon rolled his eyes at her whining as he continued to drag her along the hallway by the hand, "Stop bitching."

Elena nodded although Faith couldn't see her, "I can't believe I'm saying this but Damon's right. Let's just try to relax."

Faith snorted in response, "Oh, you mean before we get out jugulars ripped out?" Her voice then turned high pitched and extra girly, "Damon will you like dance with me and oh my god, lets spike the punch!"

Stefan couldn't stop the laugh he was trying hard to repress when he spotted Faith batting her eyelashes up at his brother who stared back at her slightly horrified. Elena slapped his arm in response and he coughed to try and dispel his laughing.

"Faith, behave."

She spun around so she was walking backwards trusting Damon not to let her walk into anything as she smiled sweetly at Stefan, "Yes, Daddy Stefan."

She turned back around only to grunt as she slammed into Damon's back who quickly reached for her and tugged her in front of him, holding her hips as he gently pushed her through the gym's doors without so much as a word. They kept themselves to the shadows in the corner so no one could spot them unless they were walking right past them. Her brow furrowed wondering what was wrong with Damon before shrugging it off. Elena quickly took off when she spotted Caroline and Bonnie while Faith seemed to have no option but to stay with Stefan and Damon as the latter still held her in a secure grip. She grew bored when they did nothing but gaze about, if this vampire was smart enough to secure an invite into the house then surely he wouldn't make himself known while the two of them were very obviously looking for him.

"Stefan, dance with me."

Stefan blinked at her before shaking his head, "No."

Faith pouted before turning to Damon, "Damon?"

He fake smiled back at her, "I don't do second choice."

She frowned at him and pulled herself from his grasp as Stefan awkwardly made himself scarce, "Okay, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I just don't need to witness you panting over my brother all night."

"Panting over your-" She burst into hysterical laughter startling Damon in the process, "You think I like Stefan?! Ew." She paused when she realized how that sounded, "Okay not ew cause he's hot but he's like my brother…my very hot, very buff, very old brother."

Damon grimaced at the description, "Okay I get it. Sorry."

She grinned at him, "Did you just apologize? Without any sort of coaching?"

"Shut up."

"That's so cute, you're evolving."

He swatted her hip before pulling her into a loose embrace as he swayed to the music secure in the knowledge that no one could see them, "If I dance with you will you drop it?"

"You're already dancing with me." She pointed out and giggled when he twirled her before pulling her back in.

"You're really annoying."

She sighed happily, "I know."

Damon hummed in response before lowering his head so his lips brushed against her ear as he spoke, "You know, we never did finish what we started in Georgia."

Faith flushed as she recalled the heated kiss, "I guess we didn't."

"You promised to come back."

She pulled back slightly, her lashes lowering when he slowly leaned in his lips gently brushing against her own; almost testing to see if she would pull away. Faith knew she should, there were far too many issues to consider if she got involved with him but she couldn't deny her basic instincts, instincts that were telling her she was very attracted to Damon and it was becoming increasingly harder to resist him. Throwing logic out of the window she griped the lapels of his leather jacket and pulled herself closer, pressing her lips firmly against his as she did so. He wasted no time in responding as he spun her around and pressed her against the wooden paneling behind them, one hand delving in her hair while the griped her waist. There was nothing delicate in the way they kissed and caressed each other. Faith tore her mouth from his as she panted for much needed air while Damon continued on unconcerned as he bit gently along her collarbone with blunt teeth.

She moaned in response, "We should not be doing this right now."

"Why not?"

"Because there's a vampire trying to kill Elena." Faith's eyes widened disbelieving that that little fact had just completely escaped her notice, with a sigh she tugged at Damon's hair until he relented and looked her in the eyes, "There's a vampire after Elena, we are not doing this. So you go look and I'll be...anywhere else."

She shoved him backwards before walking away although she did sneak an occasional glance back at him as she did so and suppressed a smile as he stood there completely dumbfounded.

* * *

Faith wrung her hands as she glanced around the dance. She couldn't find Elena or the Salvatore brothers anywhere and she was beginning to worry what that meant. With a frown she headed decided to head for the bathroom in the hopes that she would bump into one of them on the way. The hallway was eerily quiet and at once Faith regretted leaving the dance by herself when there was a rouge vampire on the loose. She heard a female scream coming from the cafeteria to her left and without pause she bolted for the door. Skidding into the room she spotted Elena pinned against the wall with a vampire baring down on her, a broken broom lay useless beside them. Quickly she picked it up and rammed it into the vampires back allowing Elena to escape from beneath him and run into Faith's loose embrace. Their relief was short lived when he groaned and started to push himself off the ground. Before they could blink he'd thrown Faith hard against one of the tables before wrenching Elena's neck to the side as his fangs emerged. Before he could bite down Stefan arrived and threw him aside.

Damon stood guarding the door in case he tried to make a run for it, "Hey, dickhead. Nobody wants to kill you. We just wanna talk."

The vampire tried to run but Stefan intervened, pulling the stake from his back and ramming it into his stomach instead forcing him onto his knees.

"Now you feel like talkin'?"

He choked in pain but remained defiant, "Screw you."

Stefan drove the stake deeper in response, "Wrong answer. Why are you doing this?"

"Cause it's fun."

"What do you want with Elena?"

The question brought a smile to his face despite the pain he was in, "She looks like Katherine."

Faith immediately shifted her eyes to gauge Damon's reaction to Katherine being mentioned but he showed no emotion other than confusion.

Damon's brow burrowed, "You knew Katherine?"

He chuckled bitterly, "Oh. You thought you were the only ones. You don't even remember me."

Damon sneered in response, "Tell me how to get in the tomb. Hmm?"

"No."

Stefan twisted the stake again causing the other vampire to pant as pain shot through his entire body. Faith watched in morbid fascination, barely aware of Elena's fingers digging into her forearm.

"The Grimoire."

"Where is it?"

"Check the journal. The journal. Jonathan Gilbert's."

Elena leaned further into her cousin as she whispered, "Our family's journal?"

Faith tried to shrug it off but it was nagging at her as well, "Apparently."

"Who else is working with you?"

"Who else is there?"

He shook his head at the brother's questions, "No. You're gonna have to kill me."

Damon looked at Stefan knowing what they had to do. Without a word Stefan withdrew the stake only to drive it into his heart instead killing the vampire.

Elena gaped worried about how they were going to get answers now, "What do we—how are you gonna find the others now?"

Damon barely shook his head and locked eyes with Faith who gazed back at him unflinching, "He had to die."

"But..."

Stefan lay a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, "Elena, he's been invited in."

* * *

Faith sighed as she leaned against the doorway and watched as Stefan comforted Elena after tonight's ordeal. To be honest she was a little concerned that neither of them had freaked out yet but Stefan assured them both that it was the adrenaline and they'd feel better after a good night's sleep. She startled out of her thoughts as Stefan motioned for her to join Elena on the couch. Her cousin shot her a confused look but Faith had no idea what was going on either.

"I need to tell you two something and I don't know how you're gonna feel about it."

He directed the last part more to Faith than Elena but he honestly didn't know how either of them were going to react.

"What?"

"Stefan, you're creeping me out a little."

"I told Damon that I'd help him get into that tomb to get Katherine back. But it was a lie. I let him believe that he could trust me."

Elena couldn't understand why he was worried to tell her this, "Well, then why would you be worried about telling me?"

Faith on the other hand knew exactly why he was worried about her reaction, "We can't just lie to him. Even if we did what happens when he finds out?"

"Because he can be very persuasive, and you all have bonded lately." He glanced back at Faith, "If this goes the way I hope it does he won't find out."

Elena went to respond but Faith beat her to it, "He's gonna find out when Katherine doesn't get out the tomb."

"I don't wanna be his enemy, but I can't let him do it."

Faith shook her head, "You can't make me lie to him about this."

She went to stand but Elena griped her hand and kept her seated, "I know you and Damon are friends but this is for the greater good okay?" Faith failed to respond so she turned to Stefan instead, "We'll help you, whatever it takes."

Faith knew before this even started that it was going to end in disaster.

_**His eyes light up and I melt within.  
Feels so good it must be a sin.  
I can't stop what I started, I'm giving in.  
He brings life to my fantasies, Sparks a passion inside of me.**_


	12. Be Careful

I have no words other than I am so sorry! Hope you guys are still interested in where the story is going.

* * *

Chapter 12: Be Careful

_**I know you're smart.  
You spin me round like a knot.  
You know the pieces, pieces of my heart.  
Sometimes it's fun, you pull my strings one by one.**_

Faith tilted her head appreciatively to the side as Damon bent over to pull a pot out of the bottom cupboard to place it on the stove. She startled when a napkin smacked off the side of her head, breaking her gaze she turned and caught Jenna's knowing look. Jenna had settled herself onto the kitchen counter at the doorway whilst Faith had took up residence on the island in the middle of the room, her legs swinging back and forth as Damon wandered around the kitchen looking for ingredients. To say she was shocked when he showed up unannounced declaring he was cooking them all dinner would be an understatement but so far he had been nothing but a gentleman, even engaging Jenna in conversation.

She reached over to pluck a slice of tomato from the cutting board when her fingers were smacked in retaliation.

"You'll ruin your appetite."

She pouted but relented from going after any more food, "You're probably going to poison us anyway."

Damon hummed in slight agreement before deciding, "You? Maybe but I would never do such a thing to Jenna."

She swatted at his shoulder as he grinned at her. Jenna choked back a laugh as she watched them interact. It had been a long time since she'd seen Faith smile so freely and without caution. Still she was wary of any boy that came into her niece's life. That being said she could hardly call Damon a boy.

"So Damon, any girlfriends we should expect to show up?"

Damon side eyed Faith before replying, "Not really, I wasn't really one for many girlfriends." He paused and smirked slightly at Jenna, "My father never really approved of anyone I dated which only made me want them more."

"What about you?"

Faith snorted in amusement, "Please don't ask her that."

Jenna faked offence for a few moments before sighing, "There were a few guys. Logan isn't the only loser I've dated."

"They ever find him? He still missing?"

Damon flinched when Faiths foot connected with his knee but covered it quickly before Jenna could notice.

"He's not missing. He's in the Bahamas working on his tan." Jenna took the last swig of her wine, "Very entitled that one, marches to the beat of his own drum. He's a Fell, they're all snotty."

Damon topped up Jenna's glass before turning to Faith with a raised eyebrow. She held up her glass with a sweet smile which momentarily threw Damon who'd never really been on the receiving end of many of they looks. He hesitated only a few seconds before pouring a small amount into her glass. He held his finger to his lips signally her not to tell anyone. Faith took a sip of the red wine, her legs once again swinging happily in the air.

"Hello, Elena."

Faith narrowly missed choking on her drink as Elena rounded the corner, disbelief plainly written on her face as she took in the scene before her. Faith avoided her eyes feeling guilty for reasons she wasn't aware of.

Jenna didn't seem to notice the tension as she asked, "Hey, where have you been? We're cooking dinner."

Damon glanced up at her, "Stefan with you?"

"He'll be here soon."

Jenna hopped down from the counter and grasped Elena's hand, "Come talk to me about the younger mysterious Salvatore."

Elena tried to protest but one sharp tug from her Aunt and she was being led away into the living room.

Damon tracked her with his eyes before invading Faith's personal space, his hands coming to rest beside her hips on the counter.

"Is it real?"

Faith squirmed uncomfortably at his closeness but managed to ask, "Is what real?"

"This renewed sense of brotherhood, the fact that your cousin seems to be helping me? Can I trust them?"

Faith's lips parted involuntarily as Damon grasped her chin gently, his thumb grazing her bottom lip as he searched her eyes, "Can I trust him?"

Faith settled her hand on top of his, her fingers curving around his wrist, her nails gently grazing along his skin in a soothing manner, "You should be careful."

Damon's brow furrowed at her answer, "What does that mean?"

A throat cleared behind them, turning they saw Elena standing with her hands on her hips as her eyes darted between them with an unreadable look upon her face.

"Jenna sent me to set the table."

Faith nodded softly as she lowered Damon's hand from her face and hopped off the counter. She squeezed his hand as if sending some sort of message before turning her back to them as she stepped up to the sink in the pretence of cleaning the dishes that were sat there. Damon stared at her back before turning and joining Jeremy on the couch whilst Elena stepped up beside her cousin.

"What are you doing?" She hissed between clenched teeth as she gripped the stack of plates waiting to be put on the table.

Faith had no answer for her and luckily she didn't have to as Jenna joined them in the kitchen. Jenna snuck a peek a Damon before leaning over and whispering.

"He is ridiculously hot."

Elena looked horrified at her Aunt saying that whilst Faith struggled to keep her smile at bay. Knowing that he could hear them Elena stated, "He's an ass."

Faith sniggered and decided to add on, "Stefan is much nicer, I think it's the hair."

An hour and several tense exchanges between Damon and Elena later the doorbell rang. Faith immediately dropped her towel when it did glad to be free of clean up duty as she bounded towards the door. Elena beat her to it with Damon closely following behind them. Elena swung the door open to reveal Stefan who gazed back at them in confusion.

"Damn, people. I could have opened the door by myself."

Damon rolled his eyes and pushed her outside as he asked Stefan, "Well?"

"Someone took the journal."

"Who took it?"

Stefan shrugged as the four of them walked away from the doorway, "I don't know."

"You know what it's that teacher, there's something really off about him."

Stefan was adamant as he disagreed, "No, he doesn't know anything. Someone got to it right before me."

"Who else was there?"

Stefan shifted his eyes to look at Jeremy through the window. Damon followed his gaze before making a move to leave, only for Faith to step into his path with a hand braced against his chest.

Elena shook her head, "No, Damon. Leave him out of it."

"What's the big deal?" He took hold of Faith's wrist and twirled her around so she was in front of him before marching her through the door with his hands resting on her shoulders. He let go of her to perch on the arm of the couch once they'd reached Jeremy.

"So, I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?"

"Huh?" Jeremy mumbled still far too absorbed in his game.

"Don't ask questions, just spill."

Jeremy finally took note of the line of questioning, "You're kidding me, right?"

Elena sighed realising Damon wouldn't give up on this, "Jer, did you tell anyone other than Mr Saltzman about Jonathon Gilberts journal?"

"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?"

Faith slapped him across the back of the head, pointedly ignoring Elena's reprimanding look as she asked, "Who else did you tell, idiot?"

Jeremy glared at her before answering, "Just that girl, Anna."

"The hot weird one?"

"Yeah."

Stefan seemed as confused as the two Gilbert girls, "Wait, who's Anna?"

Damon looked over at him as he replied, "That's what I wanna find out." He turned back to Jeremy, "How do you know her?"

Jeremy continued on while Elena went off in search of her ringing phone, "I just know her, she wants me to meet her at the Grill tonight."

"Perfect. I'll drive."

* * *

Faith had been more than annoyed that Damon had shot off with her brother like a bat out of hell but she was even more worried about the repercussions of him finding out what his brother and her cousin were up to while he was gone. She glanced down at her phone but found no new messages or calls. With an impatient huff she debated whether to go home or stay here. She decided that home was probably better before she started to make Aunt Jenna suspicious. So with a goodbye she headed out the back door. She hopped over the fence that led into her backyard as opposed to walking all the way around front.

"Hey."

She let out a startled shriek as a voice sounded in the dark once she'd stepped onto her back porch, with a frantic gasp she hit on the outside light but remained tense even when she realised it was only Damon standing there. Beside him on the railing lay an old weathered book.

She knew at once that he had found out Stefan and Elena's double crossing but felt compelled to ask anyway, "Is that it?"

He nodded softly as he took a step towards her, "Why?"

She resisted the urge to back away from him but held her ground and titled her chin up stubbornly, "What?"

"Earlier, you tried to warn me about Stefan and Elena."

"I don't know." She mumbled quietly.

She winced as he gripped her tightly by her arms and pulled her closer, "Why?"

"I don't know!" She repeated as her eyes clenched shut, whimpering when his fingers dug into her flesh painfully.

He blinked and loosened his grasp but still held her to him. After a moment his hands rubbed her arms softly as he pressed his lips against her cheekbone. She barely heard the words as he whispered them against her skin before he and the book were gone from her sight.

"_Thank you."_

_**Only you can look at me the way you do.  
You always tend me, tend me black and blue.  
Such a shame, you frame me with such disdain.  
You got me washed out, washed out, call it drained.**_


End file.
